INTERFERENCE MITIGATION MODE SIGNALING DESIGNS FOR A PHYSICAL LAYER PROTOCOL DATA UNIT

Info

Publication number: 20260107306
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 11, 2024
Publication Date: Apr 16, 2026
Inventors: Eugene BAIK (Sunnyvale, CA), Jialing Li CHEN (San Diego, CA), Lin YANG (San Diego, CA), Sameer VERMANI (San Diego, CA), Bin TIAN (San Diego, CA)
Application Number: 18/913,741

Abstract

This disclosure provides methods, components, devices and systems for interference mitigation (IM) mode signaling designs for a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU). According to some multi-user (MU) PPDU IM mode signaling designs, a first wireless communication device may indicate, to a second wireless communication device via a preamble portion of a first PPDU, a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU. Additionally, or alternatively, the first wireless communication device may indicate, to the second wireless communication device via the preamble portion of the first PPDU, a requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for PPDU(s) transmitted by the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device. In accordance with some example trigger-based (TB) PPDU IM mode signaling designs, a first wireless communication device may indicate a state associated with the IM mode for a TB PPDU via a trigger frame.

Description

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to wireless communication and, more specifically, to interference mitigation (IM) mode signaling designs for a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU).

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNOLOGY

Wireless communication networks may include various types of wireless communication devices including network entities (such as wireless access points (AP) or base stations (BS)), client devices (such as wireless stations (STAs) or user equipment (UEs)), and other wireless nodes. These wireless communication devices may communicate with one another via a variety of technologies and wireless communication protocols, including wireless local area network (WLAN) or Wi-Fi-based protocols or cellular (such as 4G, 5G, or 6G)-based protocols. The wireless communication networks may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (such as time, frequency, and spatial resources). To enable features or provide improved performance, the wireless communication devices may employ technologies such as orthogonal frequency divisional multiple access (OFDMA), multi-user Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MU-MIMO), spatial multiplexing, and beamforming. For greater inter-operability, the wireless communication networks may support backwards compatibility (such as supporting legacy wireless communication devices) as well as forward compatibility (such as supporting communication with wireless communication devices compatible with next-generation wireless communication standards).

In some wireless communication systems, two or more wireless communication devices may support an interference mitigation (IM) mode. An IM mode may enable a wireless communication device to measure or otherwise ascertain information associated with interference experienced at the wireless communication device. For example, in accordance with an IM mode, a first wireless communication device may allocate pilot tone subcarriers within one or more orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of a data field of a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU). In such examples, a second wireless communication device may receive the PPDU and process the data field of the PPDU such that the second wireless communication device uses the pilot tone subcarriers to measure or otherwise ascertain information associated with interference experienced by the second wireless communication device.

SUMMARY

The systems, methods, and devices of this disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein.

One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device may include a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code. The processing system may be configured to cause the first wireless communication device to communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an interference mitigation (IM) mode associated with one or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a method for wireless communication by or at a first wireless communication device. The method may include communicating one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and transmitting, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device may include means for communicating one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and means for transmitting, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication by a first wireless communication device. The code may include instructions executable by one or more processors (such as a processing system) to communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

In some examples of the method, first wireless communication devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the second information may be indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU and a data field within the data portion of the first PPDU may be in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

In some examples of the method, first wireless communication devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein, the second information may be indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU and the method, apparatuses, and non-transitory computer-readable medium may include further operations, features, means, or instructions for receiving the second PPDU from at least the second wireless communication device, where a data field of the second PPDU may be in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device may include a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code. The processing system may be configured to cause the first wireless communication device to communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a trigger-based PPDU (TB PPDU), the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a method for wireless communication by or at a first wireless communication device. The method may include communicating one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and transmitting, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a TB PPDU, the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device may include means for communicating one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and means for transmitting, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a TB PPDU, the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

Another innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication by a first wireless communication device. The code may include instructions executable by one or more processors (such as a processing system) to communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device and transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a TB PPDU, the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

Some examples of the method, first wireless communication devices, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for receiving the TB PPDU from at least the second wireless communication device, where a data field of the TB PPDU may be in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

Details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings and the claims. Note that the relative dimensions of the following figures may not be drawn to scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a pictorial diagram of an example wireless communication network.

FIG. 2 shows an example protocol data unit (PDU) usable for communication between a wireless access point (AP) and one or more wireless stations (STAs).

FIG. 3 shows a hierarchical format of an example physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU) usable for communication between a wireless AP and one or more wireless STAs.

FIG. 4 shows an example of signaling diagram that supports interference mitigation (IM) mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 5 shows an example PPDU usable for communication between a wireless AP and one or more wireless STAs that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 6 shows an example signaling diagram that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 7 shows an example trigger frame that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 8 shows an example common information field that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 9 shows an example special user information field that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIGS. 10-12 show example pilot tone patterns that support IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 13 shows an example pilot tone sequence generation procedure that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 14 shows example process flows that support IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIG. 15 shows a block diagram of an example wireless communication device that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

FIGS. 16-19 show flowcharts illustrating example processes performable by or at a first wireless communication device that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU.

Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is directed to some particular examples for the purposes of describing innovative aspects of this disclosure. However, a person having ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in a multitude of different ways. Some or all of the described examples may be implemented in any device, system or network that is capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency (RF) signals according to one or more of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards, the IEEE 802.15 standards, the Bluetooth® standards as defined by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), or the Long Term Evolution (LTE), 3G, 4G, 5G (New Radio (NR)) or 6G standards promulgated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), among others.

The described examples can be implemented in any suitable device, component, system or network that is capable of transmitting and receiving RF signals according to one or more of the following technologies or techniques: code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA), spatial division multiple access (SDMA), rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA), multi-user shared access (MUSA), single-user (SU) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and multi-user (MU)-MIMO (MU-MIMO). The described examples also can be implemented using other wireless communication protocols or RF signals suitable for use in one or more of a wireless personal area network (WPAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN), a non-terrestrial network (NTN), or an internet of things (IOT) network.

In some wireless communication networks, two or more wireless communication devices may support an interference mitigation (IM) mode. An IM mode may enable or facilitate at least one wireless communication device to measure or otherwise ascertain information associated with interference experienced at the wireless communication device. The information (which may be derived or measured from IM pilots) may be used by the wireless communication device to apply further receiver processing to mitigate the present interference. An IM mode may apply to a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU), such that a wireless communication device may transmit and/or receive a PPDU in accordance with the IM mode. In other words, an IM mode may relate to (such as impact) both transmit operations and receive operations associated with a PPDU. In some networks, wireless communication devices may optionally, selectively, or conditionally use an IM mode for transmission and/or reception of a PPDU. For example, a wireless communication device may use the IM mode for PPDU transmissions and/or receptions at some times and may not use the IM mode for PPDU transmissions and/or receptions at some other times (in accordance with one or more of various parameters, criteria, or device-level decisions). By way of further example, a wireless communication device may enable or disable the IM mode (for transmissions and/or receptions) on a per-PPDU basis. Some networks, however, may lack signaling mechanisms according to which wireless communication devices can coordinate on whether the IM mode is enabled (such as used) for a current or subsequent PPDU. Without such signaling mechanisms, a wireless communication device may be unable to accurately (or successfully) decode or parse one or more data fields of a received PPDU, which may result in communication errors including packet drops and/or decoding failures because the wireless communication device lacks knowledge of whether the IM mode was used for the transmission of the PPDU. Thus, some networks may benefit from additional signaling capabilities associated with indicating whether the IM mode is enabled or disabled for a current or subsequent PPDU.

Various aspects relate generally to IM mode signaling designs according to which two or more wireless communication devices may coordinate on a state associated with an IM mode for a current or subsequent PPDU. Such a state associated with the IM mode may be an ON state (in which the IM mode is enabled) or an OFF state (in which the IM mode is disabled). Some aspects more specifically relate to multi-user (MU) PPDU IM mode signaling designs and trigger-based (TB) PPDU IM mode signaling designs. In accordance with some example MU PPDU IM mode signaling designs, a first wireless communication device may indicate, to a second wireless communication device via a preamble portion of a first PPDU (such as an MU PPDU), a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU. Additionally, or alternatively, the first wireless communication device may indicate, to the second wireless communication device via the preamble portion of the first PPDU, a requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for PPDU(s) transmitted by the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device. In accordance with some example TB PPDU IM mode signaling designs, a first wireless communication device may indicate, to a second wireless communication device via a trigger frame, a state associated with the IM mode for a TB PPDU solicited by the trigger frame. Some further aspects relate to which field(s) and/or bit(s) may be used to provide such indications via an MU PPDU or a trigger frame, how devices may indicate operating parameters associated with the IM mode, for which transmission types devices may enable the IM mode, and pilot tone patterns associated with the IM mode, among other aspects disclosed herein.

Particular aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to realize one or more of the following potential advantages. In some examples, by indicating a state associated with the IM mode for a PPDU (such as an MU PPDU) via a preamble portion of the PPDU or a frame soliciting the PPDU, the described techniques may allow for or otherwise enable the IM mode to be dynamically enabled or disabled on a per-PPDU basis such that the IM mode is used as suitable, such as in scenarios in which the benefits of interference mitigation exceed an associated overhead such that the IM mode provides an overall system benefit. Additionally, the described techniques can be used to achieve greater synchronization between a transmitter of the PPDU and one or more receivers of the PPDU and provide sufficient time for the one or more receivers to prepare to receive a data field in accordance with the IM mode. Such synchronization and sufficient time allocation may support greater communication reliability by aligning expectations regarding how a PPDU is transmitted and by enabling the one or more receivers to prepare one or more antennas or processors for a measurement associated with the IM mode. Further, by indicating a state associated with the IM mode for a second PPDU via a preamble portion of a first PPDU, the described techniques can be used to enable a first wireless communication device to request other wireless communication device(s) to use the IM mode for PPDU transmissions to the first wireless communication device. In accordance with such a request, the first wireless communication device may selectively perform measurements associated with the IM mode, which may enable the first wireless communication device to balance data throughput with communication reliability (by measuring and managing interference). Moreover, by indicating a state associated with the IM mode for a TB PPDU via a trigger frame soliciting the TB PPDU, the described techniques can be used to enable a transmitter of the TB PPDU to rely on information provided via the trigger frame for generation of the TB PPDU, which may reduce ambiguity and align expectations regarding how the TB PPDU is to be transmitted in some networks. In accordance with such reduced ambiguity and aligned expectations, communicating devices may realize greater communication reliability, which may in turn support higher data rates, higher network capacity, and greater spectral efficiency, among other benefits.

FIG. 1 shows a pictorial diagram of an example wireless communication network 100. According to some aspects, the wireless communication network 100 can be an example of a wireless local area network (WLAN) such as a Wi-Fi network. For example, the wireless communication network 100 can be a network implementing at least one of the IEEE 802.11 family of wireless communication protocol standards, such as defined by the IEEE 802.11-2020 specification or amendments thereof (including, but not limited to, 802.11ay, 802.11ax (also referred to as Wi-Fi 6), 802.11az, 802.11ba, 802.11bc, 802.11bd, 802.11be (also referred to as Wi-Fi 7), 802.11 bf, and 802.11 bn (also referred to as Wi-Fi 8)) or other WLAN or Wi-Fi standards, such as that associated with the Integrated Millimeter Wave (IMMW) study group. In some other examples, the wireless communication network 100 can be an example of a cellular radio access network (RAN), such as a 5G or 6G RAN that implements one or more cellular protocols such as those specified in one or more 3GPP standards. In some other examples, the wireless communication network 100 can include a WLAN that functions in an interoperable or converged manner with one or more cellular RANs to provide greater or enhanced network coverage to wireless communication devices within the wireless communication network 100 or to enable such devices to connect to a cellular network's core, such as to access the network management capabilities and functionality offered by the cellular network core. In some other examples, the wireless communication network 100 can include a WLAN that functions in an interoperable or converged manner with one or more personal area networks, such as a network implementing Bluetooth or other wireless technologies, to provide greater or enhanced network coverage or to provide or enable other capabilities, functionality, applications or services.

The wireless communication network 100 may include numerous wireless communication devices including a wireless access point (AP) 102 and any number of wireless stations (STAs) 104. While only one AP 102 is shown in FIG. 1, the wireless communication network 100 can include multiple APs 102 (such as in an extended service set (ESS) deployment, enterprise network or AP mesh network), or may not include any AP at all (such as in an independent basic service set (IBSS) such as a peer-to-peer (P2P) network or other ad hoc network). The AP 102 can be or represent various different types of network entities including, but not limited to, a home networking AP, an enterprise-level AP, a single-frequency AP, a dual-band simultaneous (DBS) AP, a tri-band simultaneous (TBS) AP, a standalone AP, a non-standalone AP, a software-enabled AP (soft AP), and a multi-link AP (also referred to as an AP multi-link device (MLD)), as well as cellular (such as 3GPP, 4G LTE, 5G or 6G) base stations or other cellular network nodes such as a Node B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a gNB, a transmission reception point (TRP) or another type of device or equipment included in a radio access network (RAN), including Open-RAN (O-RAN) network entities, such as a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU) or a radio unit.

Each of the STAs 104 also may be referred to as a mobile station (MS), a mobile device, a mobile handset, a wireless handset, an access terminal (AT), a user equipment (UE), a subscriber station (SS), or a subscriber unit, among other examples. The STAs 104 may represent various devices such as mobile phones, other handheld or wearable communication devices, netbooks, notebook computers, tablet computers, laptops, Chromebooks, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR) or extended reality (XR) wireless headsets or other peripheral devices, wireless earbuds, other wearable devices, display devices (such as TVs, computer monitors or video gaming consoles), video game controllers, navigation systems, music or other audio or stereo devices, remote control devices, printers, kitchen appliances (including smart refrigerators) or other household appliances, key fobs (such as for passive keyless entry and start (PKES) systems), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and vehicles, among other examples.

A single AP 102 and an associated set of STAs 104 may be referred to as an infrastructure basic service set (BSS), which is managed by the respective AP 102. FIG. 1 additionally shows an example coverage area 108 of the AP 102, which may represent a basic service area (BSA) of the wireless communication network 100. The BSS may be identified by STAs 104 and other devices by a service set identifier (SSID), as well as a basic service set identifier (BSSID), which may be a medium access control (MAC) address of the AP 102. The AP 102 may periodically broadcast beacon frames (“beacons”) including the BSSID to enable any STAs 104 within wireless range of the AP 102 to “associate” or re-associate with the AP 102 to establish a respective communication link 106 (hereinafter also referred to as a “Wi-Fi link”), or to maintain a communication link 106, with the AP 102. For example, the beacons can include an identification or indication of a primary channel used by the respective AP 102 as well as a timing synchronization function (TSF) for establishing or maintaining timing synchronization with the AP 102. The AP 102 may provide access to external networks to various STAs 104 in the wireless communication network 100 via respective communication links 106.

To establish a communication link 106 with an AP 102, each of the STAs 104 is configured to perform passive or active scanning operations (“scans”) on frequency channels in one or more frequency bands (such as the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, 45 GHz, or 60 GHz bands). To perform passive scanning, a STA 104 listens for beacons, which are transmitted by respective APs 102 at periodic time intervals referred to as target beacon transmission times (TBTTs). To perform active scanning, a STA 104 generates and sequentially transmits probe requests on each channel to be scanned and listens for probe responses from APs 102. Each STA 104 may identify, determine, ascertain, or select an AP 102 with which to associate in accordance with the scanning information obtained through the passive or active scans, and to perform authentication and association operations to establish a communication link 106 with the selected AP 102. The selected AP 102 assigns an association identifier (AID) to the STA 104 at the culmination of the association operations, which the AP 102 uses to track the STA 104.

As a result of the increasing ubiquity of wireless networks, a STA 104 may have the opportunity to select one of many BSSs within range of the STA 104 or to select among multiple APs 102 that together form an ESS including multiple connected BSSs. For example, the wireless communication network 100 may be connected to a wired or wireless distribution system that may enable multiple APs 102 to be connected in such an ESS. As such, a STA 104 can be covered by more than one AP 102 and can associate with different APs 102 at different times for different transmissions. Additionally, after association with an AP 102, a STA 104 also may periodically scan its surroundings to find a more suitable AP 102 with which to associate. For example, a STA 104 that is moving relative to its associated AP 102 may perform a “roaming” scan to find another AP 102 having more desirable network characteristics such as a greater received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or a reduced traffic load.

In some examples, STAs 104 may form networks without APs 102 or other equipment other than the STAs 104 themselves. One example of such a network is an ad hoc network (or wireless ad hoc network). Ad hoc networks may alternatively be referred to as mesh networks or P2P networks. In some examples, ad hoc networks may be implemented within a larger network such as the wireless communication network 100. In such examples, while the STAs 104 may be capable of communicating with each other through the AP 102 using communication links 106, STAs 104 also can communicate directly with each other via direct wireless communication links 110. Additionally, two STAs 104 may communicate via a direct wireless communication link 110 regardless of whether both STAs 104 are associated with and served by the same AP 102. In such an ad hoc system, one or more of the STAs 104 may assume the role filled by the AP 102 in a BSS. Such a STA 104 may be referred to as a group owner (GO) and may coordinate transmissions within the ad hoc network. Examples of direct wireless communication links 110 include Wi-Fi Direct connections, connections established by using a Wi-Fi Tunneled Direct Link Setup (TDLS) link, and other P2P group connections.

In some networks, the AP 102 or the STAs 104, or both, may support applications associated with high throughput or low-latency requirements, or may provide lossless audio to one or more other devices. For example, the AP 102 or the STAs 104 may support applications and use cases associated with ultra-low-latency (ULL), such as ULL gaming, or streaming lossless audio and video to one or more personal audio devices (such as peripheral devices) or AR/VR/MR/XR headset devices. In scenarios in which a user uses two or more peripheral devices, the AP 102 or the STAs 104 may support an extended personal audio network enabling communication with the two or more peripheral devices. Additionally, the AP 102 and STAs 104 may support additional ULL applications such as cloud-based applications (such as VR cloud gaming) that have ULL and high throughput requirements.

As indicated above, in some implementations, the AP 102 and the STAs 104 may function and communicate (via the respective communication links 106) according to one or more of the IEEE 802.11 family of wireless communication protocol standards. These standards define the WLAN radio and baseband protocols for the physical (PHY) and MAC layers. The AP 102 and STAs 104 transmit and receive wireless communication (hereinafter also referred to as “Wi-Fi communication” or “wireless packets”) to and from one another in the form of PPDUs.

Each PPDU is a composite structure that includes a PHY preamble and a payload that is in the form of a PHY service data unit (PSDU). The information provided in the preamble may be used by a receiving device to decode the subsequent data in the PSDU. In instances in which a PPDU is transmitted over a bonded or wideband channel, the preamble fields may be duplicated and transmitted in each of multiple component channels. The PHY preamble may include both a legacy portion (or “legacy preamble”) and a non-legacy portion (or “non-legacy preamble”). The legacy preamble may be used for packet detection, automatic gain control and channel estimation, among other uses. The legacy preamble also may generally be used to maintain compatibility with legacy devices. The format of, coding of, and information provided in the non-legacy portion of the preamble is associated with the particular IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol to be used to transmit the payload.

The APs 102 and STAs 104 in the wireless communication network 100 may transmit PPDUs over an unlicensed spectrum, which may be a portion of spectrum that includes frequency bands traditionally used by Wi-Fi technology, such as the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, 45 GHz, and 60GHz bands. Some examples of the APs 102 and STAs 104 described herein also may communicate in other frequency bands that may support licensed or unlicensed communication. For example, the APs 102 or STAs 104, or both, also may be capable of communicating over licensed operating bands, in which multiple operators may have respective licenses to operate in the same or overlapping frequency ranges. Such licensed operating bands may map to or be associated with frequency range designations of FR1 (410MHz-7.125 GHz), FR2 (24.25 GHz-52.6 GHz), FR3 (7.125 GHz-24.25 GHz), FR4a or FR4-1 (52.6 GHz-71 GHz), FR4 (52.6 GHz-114.25 GHz), and FR5 (114.25 GHz-300 GHz).

Each of the frequency bands may include multiple sub-bands and frequency channels (also referred to as subchannels). The terms “channel” and “subchannel” may be used interchangeably herein, as each may refer to a portion of frequency spectrum within a frequency band (such as a 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, or 160 MHz portion of frequency spectrum) via which communication between two or more wireless communication devices can occur. For example, PPDUs conforming to the IEEE 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax, 802.11be and 802.11bn standard amendments may be transmitted over one or more of the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz bands, each of which is divided into multiple 20 MHz channels. As such, these PPDUs are transmitted over a physical channel having a minimum bandwidth of 20 MHz, but larger channels can be formed through channel bonding. For example, PPDUs may be transmitted over physical channels having bandwidths of 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 240 MHz, 320 MHz, 480 MHz, or 640 MHz by bonding together multiple 20 MHz channels.

An AP 102 may determine or select an operating or operational bandwidth for the STAs 104 in its BSS and select a range of channels within a band to provide that operating bandwidth. For example, the AP 102 may select sixteen 20 MHz channels that collectively span an operating bandwidth of 320 MHz. Within the operating bandwidth, the AP 102 may typically select a single primary 20 MHz channel on which the AP 102 and the STAs 104 in its BSS monitor for contention-based access schemes. In some examples, the AP 102 or the STAs 104 may be capable of monitoring only a single primary 20 MHz channel for packet detection (such as for detecting preambles of PPDUs). Conventionally, any transmission by an AP 102 or a STA 104 within a BSS may involve transmission on the primary 20 MHz channel. As such, in conventional systems, the transmitting device may contend on and win a TXOP on the primary channel to transmit anything at all. However, some APs 102 and STAs 104 supporting ultra-high reliability (UHR) communication or communication according to the IEEE 802.11bn standard amendment can be configured to operate, monitor, contend and communicate using multiple primary 20 MHz channels. Such monitoring of multiple primary 20 MHz channels may be sequential such that responsive to determining, ascertaining or detecting that a first primary 20 MHz channel is not available, a wireless communication device may switch to monitoring and contending using a second primary 20 MHz channel. Additionally, or alternatively, a wireless communication device may be configured to monitor multiple primary 20 MHz channels in parallel. In some examples, a first primary 20 MHz channel may be referred to as a main primary (M-Primary) channel and one or more additional, second primary channels may each be referred to as an opportunistic primary (O-Primary) channel. For example, if a wireless communication device measures, identifies, ascertains, detects, or otherwise determines that the M-Primary channel is busy or occupied (such as due to an overlapping BSS (OBSS) transmission), the wireless communication device may switch to monitoring and contending on an O-Primary channel. In some examples, the M-Primary channel may be used for beaconing and serving legacy client devices and an O-Primary channel may be specifically used by non-legacy (such as UHR-or IEEE 802.11bn-compatible) devices for opportunistic access to spectrum that may be otherwise under-utilized.

In some examples, two or more wireless communication devices (such as two or more APs 102 or two or more STAs 104, or any combination of one or more APs 102 and one or more STAs 104) of the wireless communication network 100 may support receive-side IM (pilots), such as in accordance with an IM mode. An IM mode may be any communication mode, scheme, or procedure according to which a wireless communication device may allocate additional pilot tone subcarriers in one or more OFDM symbols of a data field of a PPDU or otherwise format, generate, or construct a data field of a PPDU to enable or facilitate an interference measurement. For example, one or more wireless communication devices may use IM pilot (which, as used herein, may refer generally to +1/−1 valued or 0 valued) tones for detection and mitigation of interference. Potential sources of interference may include over-the-air (narrowband or wideband) transmissions and/or OBSS transmissions, and/or on-device interference. Such “pilot” tones associated with the IM mode may be pilots embedded per OFDM symbol, null tones, and/or LTF-symbol midambles, among other examples. Such pilot tones may be optionally inserted at a stage in a data field transmitter flow that is separate from carrier frequency offset (CFO) pilots. In other words, within a data field of a PPDU, pilot tones associated with the IM mode (and the IM mode more generally) may be in addition to CFO pilots associated with a CFO measurement.

An “IM mode” may refer generally to any combination of a usage of one or more +1 /−1 valued tones, one or more null (0 valued) tones, and/or one or more LTF sequence values distributed throughout at least one data field of a PPDU to enable or otherwise facilitate detection and mitigation of interference. An IM mode design may include interference estimation, receiver processing, and/or usage and signaling aspects. Regarding interference estimation, one or more wireless communication devices may support defined (in accordance with a network specification or one or more signaled indications) locations of pilots (such as within an OFDM time-frequency resource grid), a quantity or density of pilots, values used for pilot tones (including pilot sequence), or additional spreading (in scenarios of MIMO communication), rotation, or scrambling sequences applied to a pilot sequence. One or more parameters associated with the IM mode may indicate locations (such as a pattern) of pilots, a quantity or density of pilots, values used for pilot tones, a spreading sequence applied to an IM pilot sequence, a rotation sequence applied to an IM pilot sequence, and/or a scrambling sequence applied to an IM pilot sequence.

Regarding receiver processing, one or more wireless communication devices may support (in accordance with a network specification or one or more signaled indications) mechanisms for how a receiving device is able to detect a presence and/or a specific location of an interferer, mechanisms for how a receiving device is able to estimate one or more characteristics of the interference, mitigation techniques (such as receive beamforming) for suppressing the interference, or other receiver algorithms associated with the IM mode. Regarding usage and signaling aspects, one or more wireless communication devices may support signaling/indications to indicate whether the IM mode is ON/OFF in transmission, signaling of IM mode operation parameters (such as information indicative of or otherwise associated with a quantity, location, or periodicity, among other example parameters, of pilots or other such IM mechanisms), and/or signaling for a first device to request a second device to enable the IM mode in one or more subsequent packets transmitted by the second device to the first device.

In some networks, such as the wireless communication network 100, the IM mode may be defined (by a network specification) as an optional mode for a set of devices associated with a specific capability or generation. For example, a set of devices (such as all devices) associated with a UHR capability or generation may optionally support the IM mode. In some examples, each device of the set of devices may enable or disable the IM mode on a per-PPDU basis. For example, one or more devices may optionally, selectively, or conditionally support a transmission of PPDUs with IM mode set to an ON state and/or may optionally, selectively, or conditionally support a reception of PPDUs with IM mode set to an ON state. In examples in which a device does not support the IM mode, the device may not expect to receive signaling indicating that the IM mode is enabled (such as in accordance with a rule or expectation defined by a network specification).

In some examples, a wireless communication device or a network may support or define the IM mode for one or more of various transmission or PPDU types. For example, a wireless communication device or a network may support or define the IM mode for one or both of full bandwidth scenarios (such as full bandwidth transmissions) and OFDMA scenarios (such as OFDMA transmissions). Full bandwidth scenarios may include single user (SU) PPDUs (both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL)) and non-OFDMA MU-MIMO PPDUs (DL and TB UL). In examples in which an UL or DL PPDU transmission spans a full, an entire, or a complete bandwidth (such as a full operating bandwidth or a full BSS bandwidth), a data field of the UL or DL PPDU may support or otherwise be associated with OFDM pilot tone-based IM mode designs. In some aspects, a wireless communication device may set a state associated with the IM mode to an ON state or an OFF state for all users in a PPDU. In such aspects, and in examples in which the IM mode involves pilots, the pilots may cover a full bandwidth (of the PPDU) and may apply to all users of the PPDU. In some aspects, full bandwidth PPDUs may support one or more of various preamble signal (SIG) field definitions or interpretations to indicate the state associated with the IM mode. Additionally, or alternatively, for a TB UL MIMO PPDU, a trigger frame soliciting the TB UL MIMO PPDU may include (such as carry) IM mode signaling.

In OFDMA scenarios, which may involve both DL and UL scenarios, a bandwidth may be segmented into different resource units (RUs) and/or multiple RUs (MRUs) assigned to different users. In such scenarios, and in examples in which the IM mode involves pilots, a wireless communication device or a network may support or define the IM mode such that the IM mode is not defined for DL and UL OFDMA or such that, in DL or UL OFDMA operation, the IM mode design may expect a set of receivers (such as all users) of the PPDU to have IM mode enabled. In other words, in examples in which the IM mode is enabled for a PPDU, the IM mode may apply for a set of receivers (such as all users) of the PPDU. Otherwise, such as if some RUs/MRUs have pilots present while some other RUs/MRUs have no pilots, data field generation and/or parsing may become complicated (in terms of processing costs) and/or the interference management associated with the IM mode may become ineffective. Likewise, IM mode signaling within a preamble of a PPDU may be to the set of receivers (such as all users) of the PPDU, as opposed to being within one or more user information fields of a SIG field (such as one or more user information fields of a UHR-SIG field).

A wireless communication device that receives a PPDU for which the IM mode is set to an ON state may support, implement, or employ one or more mechanisms associated with interference detection and/or estimation (using one or more aspects or components of the IM mode or prior to enabling the IM mode). For example, a wireless communication device may support one or more mechanisms to detect whether interference is present (to determine whether to turn the IM mode to an ON state) and may support one or more mechanisms (once the IM mode is set to the ON state) to estimate one or more characteristics of the interference (for use in receive IM processing). The wireless communication device may detect whether interference is present using a guard interval (GI)-based detection within a data portion of a PPDU and/or using a covariance-based detection within a short interframe space (SIFS) period, among other examples. The wireless communication device may estimate one or more characteristics of the interference (once IM mode is set to the ON state) by measuring pilot tones across time and frequency in accordance with an OFDM tone plan and/or by measuring periodic midambles OFDM symbols, among other examples. Example pilot tone patterns associated with the IM mode are illustrated and described herein.

FIG. 2 shows an example protocol data unit (PDU) 200 usable for wireless communication between a wireless AP and one or more wireless STAs. For example, the AP and STAs may be examples of the AP 102 and the STAs 104 described with reference to FIG. 1. The PDU 200 can be configured as a PPDU. As shown, the PDU 200 includes a PHY preamble 202 and a PHY payload 204. For example, the preamble 202 may include a legacy portion that itself includes a legacy short training field (L-STF) 206, which may consist of two symbols, a legacy long training field (L-LTF) 208, which may consist of two symbols, and a legacy signal field (L-SIG) 210, which may consist of two symbols. The legacy portion of the preamble 202 may be configured according to the IEEE 802.11a wireless communication protocol standard. The preamble 202 also may include a non-legacy portion including one or more non-legacy fields 212, for example, conforming to one or more of the IEEE 802.11 family of wireless communication protocol standards.

The L-STF 206 generally enables a receiving device (such as an AP 102 or a STA 104) to perform coarse timing and frequency tracking and automatic gain control (AGC). The L-LTF 208 generally enables the receiving device to perform fine timing and frequency tracking and also to perform an initial estimate of the wireless channel. The L-SIG 210 generally enables the receiving device to determine (such as obtain, select, identify, detect, ascertain, calculate, or compute) a duration of the PDU and to use the determined duration to avoid transmitting on top of the PDU. The legacy portion of the preamble, including the L-STF 206, the L-LTF 208 and the L-SIG 210, may be modulated according to a binary phase shift keying (BPSK) modulation scheme. The payload 204 may be modulated according to a BPSK modulation scheme, a quadrature BPSK (Q-BPSK) modulation scheme, a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation scheme, or another appropriate modulation scheme. The payload 204 may include a PSDU including a data field 214 (illustrated as “DATA” in the example of FIG. 2) that, in turn, may carry higher layer data, for example, in the form of MAC protocol data units (MPDUs) or an aggregated MPDU (A-MPDU).

In some examples, UHR-capable STAs 104 and APs 102 may support unequal modulation techniques (also referred to as unequal quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)) with joint encoding across multiple streams for MIMO communication. For example, while different data streams may be transmitted using different spatial streams, or different RUs, or both, different spatial streams or RUs may be associated with different levels of quality (such as a different signal to noise ratios (SNRs)), and it may be advantageous to use different (unequal) MCSs for different spatial streams or RUs.

To support unequal modulation, an AP 102 may transmit signaling that indicates unequal MCSs across spatial streams or RUs to multiple STAs 104. For example, the AP 102 may transmit an MCS configuration message, which may be an example of a PHY preamble included in control signaling for PHY layer configuration, to indicate the unequal MCSs. In some examples, an MCS field of the MCS configuration message may include entries for unequal QAM schemes across multiple spatial streams. The multiple spatial streams may be encoded with the same code rate.

To support increased range or rate-over-range, a STA 104 and an AP 102 may support extended long range (ELR) PPDU formats. The use of an ELR PPDU format can enable the achievement of a target data rate while maintaining an existing coverage range, reduce an uplink/downlink power imbalance (due to, for example, one or more regulations or hardware differences at the uplink and downlink devices), or extend a coverage range while maintaining a similar, or slightly lower, data rate as compared with other PPDU formats. In some examples, an ELR PPDU may be transmitted over a narrow bandwidth, which may have a lower noise floor and thus higher SNR, thereby extending the coverage range. The reliability of the transmission of an ELR PPDU also may be increased as a result of using various optimized coding rates, coded bit repetition schemes, or duplication schemes, which may provide for improved decodability and fewer retransmissions.

In some wireless communication systems, wireless communication devices may support low density parity check (LDPC) coding for forward error correcting purposes to increase the likelihood of accurate data transmission. In some examples, UHR-capable STAs 104 and APs 102 may be capable of selecting among multiple LDPC codeword lengths, including 648 bits, 1296 bits and 1944 bits (defined in legacy IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol standards), as well as even longer (extended) codeword lengths, which may increase as operating bandwidths increase, higher modulation orders are introduced, or more spatial streams are available. Using longer LDPC codewords may achieve lower block error rates in some channels, such as channels associated with additive white Gaussian noise. Longer LDPC codewords also may enable more reliable communication in channels with lower SNRs. To facilitate the use of multiple LDPC codeword lengths, a STA 104 and an AP 102 may each include multiple LDPC encoders and multiple LDPC decoders. In some examples, such a STA 104 or AP 102 may connect, aggregate or otherwise utilize multiple encoders to implement a larger single encoder capable of encoding a longer codeword, or similarly, utilize multiple decoders to implement a larger single decoder capable of decoding a longer codeword, which may increase performance gains associated with larger block sizes without substantially increasing the hardware cost or complexity. In some examples, to generate an extended LDPC codeword, a STA 104 or an AP 102 may implement one or more lifting operations to extend a shorter codeword, with each lifting operation extending the previously lifted codeword. A “lifting” operation enables LDPC codes to be implemented using parallel encoding or decoding implementations while also reducing the complexity typically associated with large LDPC codewords. In some examples, a STA 104 or an AP 102 may use mixed codeword lengths for a given transmission. For example, the STA 104 or the AP 102 may encode input bits into one or more codewords having a first, longer codeword length (more than 1944 bits) and one or more codewords having a second, shorter codeword length (1944 bits or less). In such examples, the STA 104 or the AP 102 may perform shortening or puncturing on the codewords having the longer codeword length, or on the codewords having the shorter codeword length, or both.

In accordance with some of the example implementations disclosed herein, a first wireless communication device may transmit the PDU 200 (as a PPDU) to a second wireless communication device and may indicate a state associated with an IM mode for the PDU 200 or another PDU. The IM mode may involve pilot tones, such as OFDM tone pilots, among other examples. In some examples in which the IM mode associated with the PDU 200 involves OFDM tone pilots (which may be positioned or located within the data field 214), the first wireless communication device may use the OFDM tone pilots with LDPC coding. For example, a pilot placement design may be related to an LDPC tone mapping distance (DTM) procedure. In such examples, a wireless communication device may refrain from using IM pilots if any user in a PPDU is using a binary convolutional code (BCC) coding scheme. In some other examples in which the IM mode associated with the PDU 200 involves OFDM tone pilots (which may be positioned or located within the data field 214), the first wireless communication device may use the OFDM tone pilots with BCC coding.

FIG. 3 shows a hierarchical format of an example PPDU usable for communication between a wireless AP and one or more wireless STAs. For example, the AP and STAs may be examples of the AP 102 and the STAs 104 described with reference to FIG. 1. As described, each PPDU 300 includes a PHY preamble 302 and a PSDU 304. Each PSDU 304 may represent (or “carry”) one or more MAC protocol data units (MPDUs) 316. For example, each PSDU 304 may carry an aggregated MPDU (A-MPDU) 306 that includes an aggregation of multiple A-MPDU subframes 308. Each A-MPDU subframe 308 may include an MPDU frame 310 that includes a MAC delimiter 312 and a MAC header 314 prior to the accompanying MPDU 316, which includes the data portion (“payload” or “frame body”) of the MPDU frame 310. Each MPDU frame 310 also may include a frame check sequence (FCS) field 318 for error detection (such as the FCS field 318 may include a cyclic redundancy check (CRC)) and padding bits 320. The MPDU 316 may carry one or more MAC service data units (MSDUs) 330. For example, the MPDU 316 may carry an aggregated MSDU (A-MSDU) 322 including multiple A-MSDU subframes 324. Each A-MSDU subframe 324 may be associated with an MSDU frame 326 and may contain a corresponding MSDU 330 preceded by a subframe header 328 and, in some examples, followed by padding bits 332.

Referring back to the MPDU frame 310, the MAC delimiter 312 may serve as a marker of the start of the associated MPDU 316 and indicate the length of the associated MPDU 316. The MAC header 314 may include multiple fields containing information that defines or indicates characteristics or attributes of data encapsulated within the frame body. The MAC header 314 includes a duration field indicating a duration extending from the end of the PPDU until at least the end of an acknowledgement (ACK) or Block ACK (BA) of the PPDU that is to be transmitted by the receiving wireless communication device. The use of the duration field serves to reserve the wireless medium for the indicated duration and enables the receiving device to establish its network allocation vector (NAV). The MAC header 314 also includes one or more fields indicating addresses for the data encapsulated within the frame body. For example, the MAC header 314 may include a combination of a source address, a transmitter address, a receiver address or a destination address. The MAC header 314 may further include a frame control field containing control information. The frame control field may specify a frame type, for example, a data frame, a control frame, or a management frame.

In some wireless communication systems, wireless communication between an AP 102 and an associated STA 104 can be secured. For example, either an AP 102 or a STA 104 may establish a security key for securing wireless communication between itself and the other device and may encrypt the contents of the data and management frames using the security key. In some examples, the control frame and fields within the MAC header of the data or management frames, or both, also may be secured either via encryption or via an integrity check (such as by generating a message integrity check (MIC) for one or more relevant fields.

In some implementations, the AP 102 and STAs 104 can support various multi-user communication; that is, concurrent transmissions from one device to each of multiple devices (such as multiple simultaneous downlink communication from an AP 102 to corresponding STAs 104), or concurrent transmissions from multiple devices to a single device (such as multiple simultaneous uplink transmissions from corresponding STAs 104 to an AP 102). As an example, in addition to MU-MIMO, the AP 102 and STAs 104 may support OFDMA. OFDMA is in some aspects a multi-user version of OFDM.

In OFDMA schemes, the available frequency spectrum of the wireless channel may be divided into multiple RUs each including multiple frequency subcarriers (also referred to as “tones”). Different RUs may be allocated or assigned by an AP 102 to different STAs 104 at particular times. The sizes and distributions of the RUs may be referred to as an RU allocation. In some examples, RUs may be allocated in 2 MHz intervals, and as such, the smallest RU may include 26 tones consisting of 24 data tones and 2 pilot tones. Consequently, in a 20 MHz channel, up to 9 RUs (such as 2 MHz, 26-tone RUs) may be allocated (because some tones are reserved for other purposes). Similarly, in a 160 MHz channel, up to 74 RUs may be allocated. Other tone RUs also may be allocated, such as 52 tone, 106 tone, 242 tone, 484 tone and 996 tone RUs. Adjacent RUs may be separated by a null subcarrier (such as a DC subcarrier), for example, to reduce interference between adjacent RUs, to reduce receiver DC offset, and to avoid transmit center frequency leakage.

For UL MU transmissions, an AP 102 can transmit a trigger frame to initiate and synchronize an UL OFDMA or UL MU-MIMO transmission from multiple STAs 104 to the AP 102. Such trigger frames may thus enable multiple STAs 104 to send UL traffic to the AP 102 concurrently in time. A trigger frame may address one or more STAs 104 through respective association identifiers (AIDs), and may assign each AID (and thus each STA 104) one or more RUs that can be used to send UL traffic to the AP 102. The AP also may designate one or more random access (RA) RUs that unscheduled STAs 104 may contend for.

Some processes, methods, operations, techniques or other aspects described herein may be implemented, at least in part, using an artificial intelligence (AI) program, such as a program that includes a machine learning (ML) or artificial neural network (ANN) model, hereinafter referred to generally as an AI/ML model. One or more AI/ML models may be implemented in wireless communication devices (such as APs 102 and STAs 104) to enhance various aspects associated with wireless communication. For example, an AI/ML model may be trained to identify patterns or relationships in data observed in a wireless communication network 100. An AI/ML model may support operational decisions implemented by one or more wireless communication devices relating to aspects described herein that are associated with wireless communication networks or services. For example, an AI/ML model may be utilized for supporting or improving aspects such as reducing signaling overhead (such as by CSI feedback compression), enhancing roaming or other mobility operations, multi-AP coordination, and generally facilitating network management or optimizing network connections or characteristics to, for example, increase throughput or capacity, reduce latency or otherwise enhance user experience.

In accordance with some of the example implementations disclosed herein, a first wireless communication device may transmit the PPDU 300 to a second wireless communication device and may indicate a state associated with an IM mode for the PPDU 300 and/or another PPDU. In some examples, the first wireless communication device may include information indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the PPDU 300, or for the other PPDU, within the PHY preamble 302 of the PPDU 300. For example, the PHY preamble 302 may include one or more fields or one or more bits that the first wireless communication device may use to provide an indication of the state associated with an IM mode for the PPDU 300 and/or the other PPDU.

FIG. 4 shows an example signaling diagram 400 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The signaling diagram 400 may implement or be implemented to realize one or more aspects of the wireless communication network 100, the PDU 200, or the PPDU 300. For example, the signaling diagram 400 illustrates communication between a wireless communication device 402 and a wireless communication device 404. The wireless communication device 402 may be an example of a STA 104 or an AP 102, such as a STA 104 or an AP 102 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 1. The wireless communication device 404 may be an example of a STA 104 or an AP 102, such as a STA 104 or an AP 102 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 1.

The wireless communication device 402 and the wireless communication device 404 may communicate with each other via a communication link 406 (which may be one of an UL or a DL, among other examples) and a communication link 408 (which may be the other of the UL or the DL, among other examples). In some examples, the wireless communication device 402 may transmit a first PPDU 410 to the wireless communication device 404. The first PPDU 410 may include a preamble portion 412 and a data portion 414. The first PPDU 410 may be an example of an MU PPDU, such as a UHR-MU PPDU. A UHR-MU PPDU may be used for DL SU transmissions, UL SU transmissions, OFDMA transmissions, or downlink (full bandwidth) MU-MIMO transmissions. In DL, the UHR-MU PPDU may be associated with a UHR-MU PPDU sub-type, such as a DL SU or a null data packet (NDP) sub-type (which may exclude an RU allocation field or table within a UHR-SIG field), a DL OFDMA sub-type (which may include an RU allocation field or table within a UHR-SIG field), or a DL MU-MIMO sub-type (which may not include an RU allocation field or table within a UHR-SIG field, as DL MU-MIMO transmissions may be full bandwidth).

In some aspects, various (such as all) PPDU sub-types may carry or include one or more user information fields. A user information field may be associated with one of two different types (with both types defined to be 23 bits in some networks, such as UHR networks). A first type of user information field may be a non-MU-MIMO user information field, which a device may use in examples in which a user associated with the user information field is not part of an MU-MIMO grouping (within an RU/MRU or within a full bandwidth PPDU). A second type of user information field may be an MU-MIMO user information field, which a device may use in examples in which a user associated with the user information field is part of an MU-MIMO grouping.

In some implementations, the wireless communication device 402 may transmit the first PPDU 410 (such as a UHR-MU PPDU) with the IM mode set to a specific state (such as an ON state or an OFF state) for a data field 418 within the data portion 414 of the first PPDU 410. In such implementations, the wireless communication device 402 may signal the state associated with the IM mode via the preamble portion 412 of the first PPDU 410. In other words, the wireless communication device 402 may include, within the preamble portion 412 of the first PPDU 410, information 416 indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU 410. The wireless communication device 404 (a device receiving the first PPDU 410) may receive the information 416 and identify, determine, or otherwise ascertain whether, for example, pilot tones associated with the IM mode are present within the data field 418 of the first PPDU 410. The wireless communication device 404 may adjust (such as set, configure, tune, or update) a receive processing in accordance with the indicated state associated with the IM mode. For example, the wireless communication device 404 may use a first receive processing scheme or procedure to receive (and decode, parse, or process) the data field 418 in examples in which the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state and may use a second receive processing scheme or procedure to receive (and decode, parse, or process) the data field 418 in examples in which the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state.

In addition to including information 416 indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU 410, or as an alternative to including information 416 indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU 410, the wireless communication device 402 may include information 416 indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for a second PPDU 420. Such information 416 indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU 420 may be an indication of a state that the wireless communication device 402 requests or commands the wireless communication device 404 to use for one or more (subsequent) PPDUs transmitted by the wireless communication device 404 to the wireless communication device 402. In examples in which the first PPDU 410 indicates a requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU 420, the wireless communication device 404 may transmit the second PPDU 420 in accordance with the requested or commanded state. The wireless communication device 404 may comply with or otherwise use the requested or commanded state immediately after receiving the first PPDU 410 or some duration after receiving the first PPDU 410. Such a duration may be associated with a capability of the wireless communication device 404 or may be associated with a condition experienced by the wireless communication device 404, among other examples. Alternatively, in some examples, the wireless communication device 404 may ignore the requested or commanded state.

The second PPDU 420, which may be an example of another UHR-MU PPDU, may include a preamble portion 422 and a data portion 424. The wireless communication device 404 may include, within the preamble portion 422 of the second PPDU 420, information 426 indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU 420. The data portion 424 may include a data field 428, which the wireless communication device 404 may transmit in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode indicated by the information 426. In some examples, the state associated with the IM mode that the wireless communication device 404 uses to transmit the data field 428 of the second PPDU 420 may be in accordance with a requested or commanded state indicated by the first PPDU 410. In some other examples, the wireless communication device 404 may autonomously select the state associated with the IM mode that the wireless communication device 404 uses to transmit the data field 428 of the second PPDU 420. The wireless communication device 402 may receive the second PPDU 420, parse the information 426, and parse the data field 428 in accordance with the indicated state associated with the IM mode. For example, the wireless communication device 402 may use a first receive processing scheme or procedure to receive (and decode, parse, or process) the data field 428 in examples in which the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state and may use a second receive processing scheme or procedure to receive (and decode, parse, or process) the data field 428 in examples in which the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state.

In some UHR-MU PPDU usage scenarios, the wireless communication device 402 and/or the wireless communication device 404 may include the information 416 and/or the information 426 (each of which may be understood as one or more IM mode signaling bits) within one or more fields of the preamble portion 412 and/or the preamble portion 422, respectively. In other words, one or more fields within the preamble portion 412 may include, carry, or provide the information 416 and one or more fields within the preamble portion 422 may include, carry, or provide the information 426. The wireless communication device 402 and/or the wireless communication device 404 may generate the first PPDU 410 and/or the second PPDU 420 such that the information 416 and/or the information 426 are/is located within a common signaling portion of the preamble portion 412 and/or the preamble portion 422, respectively. In other words, the information 416 and the information 426 may be located outside of one or more user-specific fields, such as outside of one or more user information fields.

Such field(s) that may carry the information 416 and the information 426 may include a universal signal (U-SIG) field and/or a UHR signal (UHR-SIG) common field. In some examples, such field(s) may more specifically include a U-SIG version-dependent field or portion within the U-SIG field and/or a U-SIG overflow field within the UHR-SIG common field (which may be equivalently understood as one or more U-SIG overflow bits within a UHR-SIG common section). Some PPDU sub-types may be associated with different UHR-SIG field formats/definitions (depending on whether a PPDU is associated with an SU/NDP sub-type, a DL OFDMA sub-type, or a DL MU-MIMO sub-type), with each of such PPDU sub-types including one or more U-SIG overflow bits within a UHR-SIG common field. Some UHR PPDU sub-types (such as a DL OFDMA sub-type) may include 17 U-SIG overflow bits within a UHR-SIG common field and some other PPDU sub-types (such as non-OFDMA sub-types, such as an SU sub-type or an MU-MIMO sub-type) may include 16 U-SIG overflow bits within a UHR-SIG common field. Across such different PPDU sub-types, there may be a quantity of reserved (such as Validate and/or Disregard) bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field and the UHR-SIG common field, which the wireless communication device 402 and/or the wireless communication device 404 may use/re-purpose/re-assign to carry IM mode information (such as the information 416 and the information 426).

FIG. 5 shows an example PPDU 550 usable for communication between a wireless AP and one or more wireless STAs that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. For example, the AP and STAs may be examples of the AP 102 and the STAs 104 described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown, the PPDU 550 includes a PHY preamble (a preamble portion of the PPDU 550), that includes a legacy portion 552 and a non-legacy portion 554, and a payload 556 (a data portion of the PPDU 550) that includes a data field 574. The legacy portion 552 of the preamble includes an L-STF 558, an L-LTF 560, and an L-SIG 562. The non-legacy portion 554 of the preamble includes a repetition of L-SIG (RL-SIG) 564, a U-SIG field 566 and a UHR-SIG field 568.

The presence of RL-SIG 564 and U-SIG field 566 may indicate to UHR or later version-compliant STAs 104 that the PPDU 550 is a UHR PPDU or a PPDU conforming to any later (post-UHR) version of a new wireless communication protocol conforming to a future IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol standard. One or both of the U-SIG field 566 and the UHR-SIG field 568 may be structured as, and carry version-dependent information for, other wireless communication protocol versions associated with amendments to the IEEE family of standards beyond UHR. For example, the U-SIG field 566 may be used by a receiving device (such as an AP 102 or a STA 104) to interpret bits in one or more of the UHR-SIG field 568 or the data field 574. The U-SIG field 566 may include one or more universal, version-independent fields and one or more version-dependent fields. Information in the universal fields may include, for example, a version identifier (starting from the IEEE 802.11be amendment and beyond) and channel occupancy and coexistence information (such as a punctured channel indication).

The version-dependent fields may include format information fields used for interpreting other fields of the U-SIG field 566 and the UHR-SIG field 568 and additional information fields or single user (SU)-specific fields that may be useful to intended recipients. In some implementations, the version-dependent fields may include at least a PPDU format field to indicate a general PPDU format for the PPDU 550 (such as a trigger-based (TB), a single-user (SU), or a multi-user (MU) PPDU format). Like L-STF 558, L-LTF 560, and L-SIG 562, the information in the U-SIG field 566 and the UHR-SIG field 568 may be duplicated and transmitted in each of the component 20 MHz channels in instances involving the use of a bonded channel.

The non-legacy portion 554 further includes an additional STF (referred to herein as a “UHR-STF 570,” although it may be structured as, and carry version-dependent information for, other wireless communication protocol versions beyond UHR) and one or more additional LTFs (referred to herein as “UHR-LTFs 572,” although they may be structured as, and carry version-dependent information for, other wireless communication protocol versions beyond UHR). The UHR-STF 570 may be used for timing and frequency tracking and AGC, and the UHR-LTF 572 may be used for more refined channel estimation.

The UHR-SIG field 568 may be used by an AP 102 to identify and inform one or multiple STAs 104 that the AP 102 has scheduled UL or DL resources for them. The UHR-SIG field 568 may be decoded by each compatible STA 104 served by the AP 102. The UHR-SIG field 568 also may generally be used by the receiving device to interpret bits in the data field 574. For example, the UHR-SIG field 568 may include RU allocation information, spatial stream configuration information, and per-user (such as STA-specific) signaling information. Each UHR-SIG field 568 may include a common field and at least one user-specific field. In the context of OFDMA, the common field can indicate RU distributions to multiple STAs 104, indicate the RU assignments in the frequency domain, indicate which RUs are allocated for MU-MIMO transmissions and which RUs correspond to OFDMA transmissions, and the number of users in allocations, among other examples. The user-specific fields are assigned to particular STAs 104 and carry STA-specific scheduling information such as user-specific MCS values and user-specific RU allocation information. Such information enables the respective STAs 104 to identify and decode corresponding RUs in the associated data field 574.

In accordance with some example implementations of the present disclosure, the U-SIG field 566 and/or the UHR-SIG field 568 may include, carry, or otherwise provide information indicative of a state associated with an IM mode for the PPDU 550 (such as an IM mode for the data field 574 of the PPDU 550) and/or for another PPDU. For example, one or more bits or subfields of the U-SIG field 566 and/or the UHR-SIG field 568 may include, carry, or otherwise provide the information 416 or the information 426 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 4. Such bit(s) or subfield(s) of the U-SIG field 566 and/or the UHR-SIG field 568 may include a version-dependent portion (such as a U-SIG version-dependent field) of the U-SIG field 566 and/or a UHR-SIG common field (such as one or more U-SIG overflow bis within the UHR-SIG common field) of the UHR-SIG field 568. A wireless communication device that receives the PPDU 550 may interpret the one or more bits or subfields of the U-SIG field 566 and/or the UHR-SIG field 568 to determine or otherwise ascertain the state associated with the IM mode for the PPDU 550 (and/or for another PPDU) and may receive at least the data field 574 of the PPDU 550 in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode (and/or may transmit or receive at least a data field of the other PPDU in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode).

In some implementations, a wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 402 or the wireless communication device 404) may use (such as re-purpose) a single bit from the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568 to indicate whether the payload 556 (the data portion or section) of the PPDU 550 has the IM mode enabled or disabled. In such implementations, a first value of the single bit may indicate that the IM mode is enabled (in an ON state) for the data field 574 of the PPDU 550 and a second value of the single bit may indicate that the IM mode is disabled (in an OFF state) for the data field 574 of the PPDU 550. In some examples, the wireless communication device may select the single bit from a group of unallocated (such as available) Disregard or Validate bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568. In some networks, such implementations may be applicable to scenarios in which the PPDU 550 is associated with a DL SU/NDP sub-type, an UL SU/NDP sub-type, a DL OFDMA sub-type, or a DL MU-MIMO sub-type, among other examples.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 402 or the wireless communication device 404) may use (such as re-purpose) two or more bits from the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568 to indicate, convey, or create a “UHR Protocols” field, with an encoding of the two or more bits representing (such as indicating) an ON/OFF status for at least one of a set of UHR protocols. Such a set of UHR protocols may include protocols that are unable or not expected to be simultaneously enabled or may include UHR protocols that are able to be simultaneously enabled. For example, the set of protocols may include the IM mode, coordinated beamforming (COBF), frequency domain (FD) unequal modulation (UEQM), or coordinated spatial reuse (CSR), among other examples.

Different codepoints associated with the two or more bits may indicate that a corresponding protocol within the set of protocols is enabled (and may, at least in some examples, implicitly indicate that other protocols of the set are disabled). For example, a first codepoint (such as “00”) may indicate that none of the set of protocols are enabled for the PPDU 550, a second codepoint (such as “01”) may indicate that the IM mode is enabled for the PPDU 550, a third codepoint (such as “10”) may indicate that COBF is enabled for the PPDU 550, and a fourth codepoint (such as “11”) may indicate that FD UEQM is enabled for the PPDU 550. In some examples, the wireless communication device may select the two or more bits from a group of unallocated (such as available) Disregard or Validate bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 402 or the wireless communication device 404) may use (such as re-purpose) one or more bits from the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568 to indicate one or more parameters (such as one or more operational or operating parameters) associated with the IM mode. Such parameters may depend on a design associated with the IM mode and may include, for example, parameters indicating information associated with a pattern of pilot tones, a quantity of pilot tones, and/or a pilot tone occurrence periodicity, among other examples. In some examples, the wireless communication device may select the one or more bits from a group of unallocated (such as available) Disregard or Validate bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568. In some implementations, the wireless communication device may selectively or conditionally use such one or more bits to indicate the one or more parameters associated with the IM mode. For example, the wireless communication device may use the one or more bits to indicate the one or more parameters in examples in which the IM mode is enabled and may refrain from using the one or more bits to indicate the one or more parameters in examples in which the IM mode is disabled. In other words, a wireless communication device receiving the PPDU 550 may disregard a setting of the one or more bits if the IM mode is indicated to be disabled.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 402 or the wireless communication device 404) may use (such as re-purpose) a single bit from the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568 to indicate whether a payload (a data portion or section) of another (subsequent) PPDU is requested or commanded to have the IM mode enabled or disabled. In other words, the wireless communication device may use such a single bit to indicate that the wireless communication device is requesting or commanding that the IM mode be enabled or disabled for one or more PPDUs subsequently transmitted by another wireless communication device (one or more wireless communication devices receiving the PPDU 550) in the reverse direction of the link back to the wireless communication device. In such implementations, a first value of the single bit may indicate that the IM mode is requested or commanded to be enabled (in an ON state) for the data field of the subsequent PPDU(s) and a second value of the single bit may indicate that the IM mode is requested or commanded to be disabled (in an OFF state) for the data field of the subsequent PPDU(s). In some examples, the wireless communication device may select the single bit from a group of unallocated (such as available) Disregard or Validate bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568. In some examples, one or more bits from the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field 566 and/or from the UHR common field of the UHR-SIG field 568 may indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode requested or commanded to be used for the subsequent PPDU(s).

FIG. 6 shows an example signaling diagram 600 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The signaling diagram 600 may implement or be implemented to realize one or more aspects of the wireless communication network 100, the PDU 200, or the PPDU 300. For example, the signaling diagram 600 illustrates communication between a wireless communication device 602 and a wireless communication device 604. The wireless communication device 602 may be an example of a STA 104 or an AP 102, such as a STA 104 or an AP 102 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 1. The wireless communication device 604 may be an example of a STA 104 or an AP 102, such as a STA 104 or an AP 102 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 1.

The wireless communication device 602 and the wireless communication device 604 may communicate with each other via a communication link 606 (which may be one of an UL or a DL, among other examples) and a communication link 608 (which may be the other of the UL or the DL, among other examples). In some examples, the wireless communication device 602 may transmit a trigger frame 610 to the wireless communication device 604 via the communication link 606. The trigger frame 610 may be an example of a UHR trigger frame, such as a trigger frame soliciting a UHR-TB PPDU (which wireless communication devices may use for UL MU-MIMO and/or UL OFDMA transmission scenarios, among other examples). For example, the trigger frame 610 may solicit a TB PPDU 614, which may be an example of a UHR-TB PPDU. In some examples, the TB PPDU 614 may include a U-SIG field and may exclude additional SIG fields. Further, in some examples, the wireless communication device 602 may potentially refrain from decoding the contents of the U-SIG field because the U-SIG field is carried by a triggered transmission.

To support an IM mode signaling indication in such scenarios of the trigger frame 610 soliciting the TB PPDU 614, the trigger frame 610 may carry the IM mode related signaling information. In other words, to solicit an UL MIMO or OFDMA transmission, the wireless communication device 602 may provide IM mode related signaling information within the trigger frame 610 that precedes (and solicits) the TB PPDU 614. For example, the wireless communication device 602 may include information 612 within the trigger frame 610, via which the wireless communication device 602 may signal to the wireless communication device 604 how the IM mode is expected to be configured (including what a state associated with the IM mode is expected to be) for the upcoming TB PPDU 614. In such examples, and because the wireless communication device 602 may already know the state associated with the IM mode and operating parameter(s) associated with the IM mode, the wireless communication device 604 may refrain from including IM mode related signaling information within the TB PPDU 614 itself.

In accordance with receiving the trigger frame 610 including the information 612 indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU 614, the wireless communication device 604 may generate and transmit at least a data field 616 of the TB PPDU 614 in accordance with the indicated state associated with the IM mode. The wireless communication device 602 may likewise receive (and decode, parse, or process) at least the data field 616 in accordance with the indicated state associated with the IM mode. For example, the wireless communication device 602 may use a first receive processing scheme or procedure to receive (and decode, parse, or process) the data field 616 in examples in which the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state and may use a second receive processing scheme or procedure to receive (and decode, parse, or process) the data field 616 in examples in which the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state.

FIG. 7 shows an example trigger frame 700 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The trigger frame 700 may be an example of the trigger frame 610 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 6. For example, the wireless communication device 602 may transmit the trigger frame 700 to solicit a TB PPDU and may include, within the trigger frame 700 information 612 indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the solicited TB PPDU.

The trigger frame 700 may include one or more of a frame control field 702 of 2 octets, a duration field 704 of 2 octets, a receiver address (RA) field 706 of 6 octets, a transmitter address (TA) field 708 of 6 octets, a common information field 710 (shown as a “common info” field in the example of FIG. 7) of 8 or more octets, a user information field list 712 (shown as a “user info list” in the example of FIG. 7) of a variable quantity of octets, a padding field 714 of a variable quantity of octets, and a frame check sequence (FCS) field 716 of 4 octets. In some examples, the trigger frame 700 may additionally include an information control field of a variable quantity of octets, which may be located between the padding field 714 and the FCS field 716. The RA field 706 may indicate whether the trigger frame 700 is individually addressed or a broadcast frame. The user information field list 712 may include any quantity of user information fields, including one or more special user information fields 718 and/or one more user information fields 720 (which may be user-specific fields). In the example of the trigger frame 700, the user information field list 712 may include a special user information field 718 (of 5 or more octets) and M user information fields 720 (each of 5 or more octets). In some networks, a special user information field 718 may be identified by a specific AID12 subfield value, such as an AID12 subfield value of 2007.

In accordance with some example implementations of the present disclosure, the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718 may include, carry, or otherwise provide information indicative of a state associated with an IM mode for a solicited TB PPDU. For example, one or more bits or subfields of the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718 may include, carry, or otherwise provide the information 612 indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU 614, as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 6. A wireless communication device that receives (and is addressed by) the trigger frame 700 may interpret the one or more bits or subfields of the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718 to determine or otherwise ascertain the state associated with the IM mode for the solicited TB PPDU and may transmit at least a data field of the TB PPDU in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

In some implementations, a wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 602 or the wireless communication device 604) may use (such as re-purpose) a single bit from the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718 to indicate whether the data field of the solicited TB PPDU has the IM mode enabled or disabled. In such implementations, a first value of the single bit may indicate that the IM mode is enabled (in an ON state) for the data field of the solicited TB PPDU and a second value of the single bit may indicate that the IM mode is disabled (in an OFF state) for the data field of the solicited TB PPDU. In some examples, the wireless communication device may select the single bit from a group of unallocated (such as available) reserved bits within the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 602 or the wireless communication device 604) may use (such as re-purpose) two or more bits from the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718 to indicate, convey, or create a “UHR Protocols” field, with an encoding of the two or more bits representing (such as indicating) an ON/OFF status for at least one of a set of UHR protocols. Such a set of UHR protocols may include protocols that are unable or not expected to be simultaneously enabled or may include UHR protocols that are able to be simultaneously enabled. For example, the set of protocols may include the IM mode, coordinated UL MU-MIMO, FD UEQM, or CSR, among other examples.

Different codepoints associated with the two bits may indicate that a corresponding protocol within the set of protocols is enabled (and may, at least in some examples, implicitly indicate that other protocols of the set are disabled). For example, a first codepoint (such as “00”) may indicate that none of the set of protocols are enabled for the solicited TB PPDU, a second codepoint (such as “01”) may indicate that the IM mode is enabled for the solicited TB PPDU, a third codepoint (such as “10”) may indicate that coordinated UL MU-MIMO is enabled for the solicited TB PPDU, and a fourth codepoint (such as “11”) may indicate that FD UEQM is enabled for the solicited TB PPDU. In some examples, the wireless communication device may select the two or more bits from a group of unallocated (such as available) reserved bits within the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 602 or the wireless communication device 604) may use (such as re-purpose) one or more bits from the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718 to indicate one or more parameters (such as one or more operational or operating parameters) associated with the IM mode. Such parameters may depend on a design associated with the IM mode and may include, for example, parameters indicating information associated with a pattern of pilot tones, a quantity of pilot tones, and/or a pilot tone occurrence periodicity, among other examples. In some examples, the wireless communication device may select the one or more bits from a group of unallocated (such as available) reserved bits within the common information field 710 and/or the special user information field 718. In some implementations, the wireless communication device may selectively or conditionally use such one or more bits to indicate the one or more parameters associated with the IM mode. For example, the wireless communication device may use the one or more bits to indicate the one or more parameters in examples in which the IM mode is enabled and may refrain from using the one or more bits to indicate the one or more parameters in examples in which the IM mode is disabled. In other words, a wireless communication device receiving the PPDU 550 may disregard a setting of the one or more bits if the IM mode is indicated to be disabled.

FIG. 8 shows an example common information field 800 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The common information field 800 may be an example of the common information field 710 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 7. For example, the common information field 800 may include one or more bits and/or one or more subfields that indicate, carry, or otherwise provide information indicative of a state associated with an IM mode for a TB PPDU solicited by a trigger frame carrying the common information field 800.

The common information field 800 may include a trigger type subfield 802 of 4 bits, an UL length subfield 804 of 12 bits, a more trigger frame subfield 806 (shown as a “more TF” subfield in the example of FIG. 8) of 1 bit indicative of whether or not a subsequent Trigger frame is scheduled for transmission, a carrier sense (CS) required subfield 808 of 1 bit, an UL bandwidth subfield 810 of 2 bits, a guard interval (GI) and high efficiency (HE)/EHT-LTF type or TXOP sharing (TXS) mode subfield 812 of 2 bits, a reserved bits subfield 814 of 1 bit, a number of HE/EHT-LTF symbols subfield 816 of 3 bits, a reserved bits subfield 818 of 1 bit, an LDPC extra symbol segment subfield 820 of 1 bit, an AP transmit (Tx) power subfield 822 of 6 bits, a pre-forward error correction (FEC) padding factor subfield 824 of 2 bits, a packet extension (PE) disambiguity subfield 826 of 1 bit, an UL spatial reuse subfield 828 of 16 bits, a reserved bits subfield 830 of 1 bit, an HE/EHT P160 subfield 832 of 1 bit, a special user information field flag subfield 834 (shown as a “special user info field flag” subfield in the example of FIG. 8) of 1 bit, a distributed RU (dRU) indication subfield 836 of 4 bits, a UHR reserved bits subfield 838 of 3 bits, a reserved bits subfield 840 of 1 bit, and a trigger dependent common information subfield 842 (shown as a “trigger dependent common info” subfield in the example of FIG. 8) of a variable quantity of bits.

In accordance with some example implementations of the present disclosure, a wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 602 or the wireless communication device 604) may use (such as re-purpose) any one or more of such fields and/or bits to include, carry, or otherwise provide information indicative of a state associated with an IM mode for a solicited TB PPDU. In other words, one or more bits or subfields of the common information field 800 may include, carry, or otherwise provide the information 612, or a portion of the information 612, indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU 614, as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 6. For example, the wireless communication device may use one or more bits of one or more of the reserved bits subfield 814, the reserved bits subfield 818, the reserved bits subfield 830, the UHR reserved bits subfield 838, or the reserved bits subfield 840 to indicate, carry, or otherwise provide the information 612 or a portion of the information 612.

FIG. 9 shows an example special user information field 900 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The special user information field 900 may be an example of the special user information field 718 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 7. For example, the special user information field 900 may include one or more bits and/or one or more subfields that indicate, carry, or otherwise provide information indicative of a state associated with an IM mode for a TB PPDU solicited by a trigger frame carrying the special user information field 900.

The special user information field 900 may include an AID12 subfield 902 (such as a 12-bit association identifier (AID) subfield) of 12 bits, a PHY version identifier subfield 904 of 3 bits, an UL bandwidth extension subfield 906 of 2 bits, a first EHT/UHR spatial reuse subfield 908 (shown as an “EHT/UHR spatial reuse 1” subfield in the example of FIG. 9) of 4 bits, a second EHT/UHR spatial reuse subfield 910 (shown as an “EHT/UHR spatial reuse 2” subfield in the example of FIG. 9) of 4 bits, a U-SIG disregard and validate subfield 912 of 12 bits, a reserved bits subfield 914 of 3 bits, and a trigger dependent user information subfield 916 (shown as a “trigger dependent user info” subfield in the example of FIG. 9) of a variable quantity of bits.

In accordance with some example implementations of the present disclosure, a wireless communication device (such as the wireless communication device 602 or the wireless communication device 604) may use (such as re-purpose) any one or more of such fields and/or bits to include, carry, or otherwise provide information indicative of a state associated with an IM mode for a solicited TB PPDU. In other words, one or more bits or subfields of the special user information field 900 may include, carry, or otherwise provide the information 612, or a portion of the information 612, indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU 614, as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 6. For example, the wireless communication device may use one or more bits of the U-SIG disregard and validate subfield 912 and/or the reserved bits subfield 914 to indicate, carry, or otherwise provide the information 612 or a portion of the information 612.

FIG. 10 shows an example pilot tone pattern 1000 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. For example, a wireless communication device (such as any of the wireless communication device 402, the wireless communication device 404, the wireless communication device 602, and/or the wireless communication device 604) may transmit and/or receive a data portion (including one or more data fields) of a PPDU (such as a UHR-MU PPDU or a UHR-TB PPDU) in accordance with the pilot tone pattern 1000. The pilot tone pattern 1000 illustrates example pilot tone locations within a time-frequency resource grid associated with a data field of a PPDU. The time frequency resource grid includes a quantity of subcarriers 1002 (which may be equivalently referred to as “tones”) and a quantity of symbols 1004 (such as OFDM symbols). The pilot tones may be associated with, or may be examples of, null tones (having values of “0”) or tones having values of “+1” or “−1.” Pilot tones associated with the IM mode may be equivalently referred to as IM pilots or IM pilot sequences.

The pilot tone pattern 1000 may be an example of a “fixed position” pattern of pilot tones according to which pilot tones are located within a fixed set of non-contiguous subcarriers over a set of contiguous symbols. In other words, the pilots (or null valued) tones may be located at fixed subcarrier indices within the OFDM tone plan, throughout a set of (such as all) data OFDM symbols. The pilot tone locations may be interspersed across frequency, with some regular or approximately regular (such as even or approximately even) spacing between each subcarrier index carrying the pilots. In some implementations, multi-antenna receivers may estimate per-data-tone spatial covariances in accordance with pilot tone observations that are sparsely sampled across the PPDU bandwidth, such that a regular or approximately regular spacing between pilot locations in frequency may better facilitate a more accurate interpolation of covariance estimates at the in-between data tones. In some aspects, the pilots associated with the IM mode may be separate from additionally present CFO (phase tracking) pilots within the data field of the PPDU.

In some examples, a pilot allocation ratio (of a total quantity of available subcarriers) may be between approximately 15% and approximately 25%, with additional pilots being associated with a tradeoff between interference estimation resolution and overall data throughput, as IM mode pilots may reduce a quantity of available subcarriers to carry data in at least some OFDM symbols. In accordance with the IM mode signaling designs described herein, two or more communicating devices may more suitably coordinate on scenarios in which to enable the IM mode and scenarios in which to disable the IM mode. In other words, in accordance with the IM mode signaling designs described herein, two or more communicating devices may more dynamically or more suitably balance the tradeoff between interference estimation resolution and overall data throughput, such that the IM mode may be enabled in scenarios in which greater interference estimation resolution offers or is likely to offer greater system performance and such that the IM mode may be disabled in scenarios in which greater overall data throughput offers or is likely to offer greater system performance.

In some implementations, the two or more communicating devices may additionally support two or more options for pilot allocation ratios (in accordance with parameterizing one or more aspects associated with the pilot tones and/or the pilot tone locations) and dynamically (such as on a per-PPDU basis) switch between the different options for pilot allocation ratios. A parameter associated with the IM mode having the pilot tone pattern 1000 may indicate a spacing between each subcarrier index carrying pilots. For example, a spacing between subcarrier indices carrying pilots may be set to or indicated as one of a set of different (fixed or negotiated) values.

In some implementations, the two or more wireless communication devices may support a mapping between IM pilot locations and dRU tone mappings. In other words, IM pilot locations may be tied or correspond to dRU tone mappings. In some networks, for example, dRUs may be designed to have data tones interspersed at nearly or approximately equal intervals throughout a PPDU bandwidth, such that mapping the IM pilot locations to a dRU tone mapping may facilitate IM pilots to have pilot tones interspersed at nearly or approximately equal intervals throughout a PPDU bandwidth. In some aspects, different dRU sizes may have different “spreading/spacing” factors, and the IM pilot design may align pilot allocation ratios with the different dRU sizes.

For example, and with reference to the pilot tone pattern 1000, the pilot locations may correspond to the dRU tone indices of a specific (such as single) RU index, for a set of (such as all) OFDM symbols.

FIG. 11 shows an example pilot tone pattern 1100 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. For example, a wireless communication device (such as any of the wireless communication device 402, the wireless communication device 404, the wireless communication device 602, and/or the wireless communication device 604) may transmit and/or receive a data portion (including one or more data fields) of a PPDU (such as a UHR-MU PPDU or a UHR-TB PPDU) in accordance with the pilot tone pattern 1100. The pilot tone pattern 1100 illustrates example pilot tone locations within a time-frequency resource grid associated with a data field of a PPDU. The time frequency resource grid includes a quantity of subcarriers 1102 (which may be equivalently referred to as “tones”) and a quantity of symbols 1104 (such as OFDM symbols). The pilot tones may be associated with, or may be examples of, null tones (having values of “0”) or tones having values of “+1” or “−1.”

The pilot tone pattern 1100 may be an example of “traveling” pattern of pilot tones according to which pilot tones are located within varying subcarriers over a set of contiguous symbols. In other words, in accordance with the pilot tone pattern 1100, the location of the pilot (or null) tones may change across OFDM symbols. For example, the pilot locations may circularly shift indices every OFDM symbol. In some implementations, an amount of the circular shift may be defined by a (signaled or configured) parameter and may include amounts such as 1, 2, or 3, among other examples. By way of example, the pilot tone pattern 1100 illustrates a circular shift of 1, according to which, for each next OFDM symbol, the subcarrier index carrying a pilot increments or decrements by 1 index. In other words, in the illustration of the pilot tone pattern 1100, the pilot location index may be circularly shifted “downwards” by 1 through time. By way of further example, a circular shift of 2 may indicate that, for each next OFDM symbol, the subcarrier index carrying a pilot increments or decrements by 2 indices. The amount of circular shift may be referred to as a shift value and, in some implementations, the shift value may indicate or determine a periodicity of the pilot tone pattern 1100 (which may refer to a quantity of OFDM symbols between times at which IM pilot indices repeat). A wireless communication device receiving a data field of a PPDU associated with the pilot tone pattern 1100 may perform covariance estimation interpolation in examples in which the pilot tones do not occupy a set of (such as every) subcarrier locations (such as every subcarrier location) in one complete “cycle” or “period.”

In some scenarios, such as in scenarios in which an interferer location and characteristics are (relatively) static relative to the OFDM symbol times, the pilot tone pattern 1100 may provide greater frequency resolution in the estimation of frequency selective interference (such as narrowband or wideband). Additionally, or alternatively, in some scenarios, the pilot tone pattern 1100 may allow for or otherwise facilitate lower pilot allocation ratios, which may incur less overhead due to IM mode pilots and may support higher data throughputs.

In some implementations, the two or more wireless communication devices may support a mapping between IM pilot locations and dRU tone mappings. In other words, IM pilot locations may be tied or correspond to dRU tone mappings. In such implementations, a set of dRUs may form possible sets of tones usable for IM pilots within a given OFDM symbol. To realize the pilot tone pattern 1100, a wireless communication device may select a first set of tones (which may correspond to a first dRU index) for a first OFDM symbol, a second set of tones (which may correspond to a second dRU index), for a second OFDM symbol, and so on. By way of further example, for a given OFDM symbol, the IM pilot locations may correspond to tone locations associated with (defined by) a dRU index 0 and, for a next OFDM symbol, the IM pilot locations may correspond to tone locations associated with (defined by) a dRU index 1 (which may mean that the pilot locations have cyclically shifted by 1 tone index from the previous symbol) and, for a further next OFDM symbol, the IM pilot locations may correspond to tone locations associated with (defined by) a dRU index 2, and so on. In other words, realizing IM pilot locations that travel with OFDM symbol index may be effectively similar to a wireless communication device selecting different dRU indices (for a given or same dRU size) for each OFDM symbol index.

FIG. 12 shows an example pilot tone pattern 1200 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. For example, a wireless communication device (such as any of the wireless communication device 402, the wireless communication device 404, the wireless communication device 602, and/or the wireless communication device 604) may transmit and/or receive a data portion (including one or more data fields) of a PPDU (such as a UHR-MU PPDU or a UHR-TB PPDU) in accordance with the pilot tone pattern 1200. The pilot tone pattern 1200 illustrates example pilot tone locations within a time-frequency resource grid associated with a data field of a PPDU. The time frequency resource grid includes a quantity of subcarriers 1202 (which may be equivalently referred to as “tones”) and a quantity of symbols 1204 (such as OFDM symbols). The pilot tones may be associated with, or may be examples of, tones having values of “+1” or “−1.” In some implementations, a wireless communication device may not use null tones for pilot tones associated with the pilot tone pattern 1200, as some networks may expect an average OFDM symbol power to be maintained across time.

The pilot tone pattern 1200 may be an example of “midamble” pattern of pilot tones according to which pilot tones are located within a fixed set of contiguous subcarriers that spans a full bandwidth over a fixed set of non-contiguous symbols. In other words, in accordance with the pilot tone pattern 1200, IM pilots may be located within a set of one or more dedicated OFDM symbols (inserted or occurring periodically within the data OFDM symbols) such that, for the set of one or more dedicated OFDM symbols, all tones (such as all normal data tones) are used as pilot tones that may be used to estimate the spatial covariance of the interference across the entire PPDU bandwidth. In some implementations, the set of one or more dedicated OFDM symbols may additionally include one or more CFO pilots, which may be mapped separately. In some examples, CFO pilots may take priority over IM pilots. In such examples, if a CFO pilot and an IM pilot are expected to be mapped to a same time-frequency location, two or more communicating wireless communication devices may expect that the time-frequency location is used for the CFO pilot (and that the IM pilot is dropped or not included).

In some implementations, a parameter associated with the pilot tone pattern 1200 may indicate a periodicity according to which OFDM symbols dedicated to IM pilots occur. In such implementations, two or more wireless communication devices may signal the parameter, such as via a preamble of a PPDU or via a trigger frame. In some aspects, the periodicity of the OFDM symbols dedicated to IM pilots may influence an overhead associated with the IM pilots (such as the actual overhead on data throughput caused by using the IM Mode pilots).

In accordance with the pilot tone pattern 1200, from both a transmitter and a receiver point of view, a data OFDM symbol processing may be unaffected by the IM mode. For example, because the pilot tones associated with the IM mode are not interspersed with data in accordance with the pilot tone pattern 1200, an OFDM symbol may either be a data OFDM symbol (excluding pilot tones associated with the IM mode) or may be a dedicated midamble OFDM symbol (including, such as exclusively including, pilot tones associated with the IM mode, potentially along with one or more CFO pilot tones).

FIG. 13 shows an example pilot tone sequence generation procedure 1300 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. A wireless communication device (such as any of the wireless communication device 402, the wireless communication device 404, the wireless communication device 602, and/or the wireless communication device 604) may select, identify, calculate, or otherwise determine values for the pilot tones associated with the IM mode. For example, in association with determining pilot subcarrier locations, the wireless communication device may determine the values carried by the IM pilots at the determined locations.

In some implementations, the wireless communication may use or expect null tone values at the IM pilot locations. Such implementations may be applicable at least for the pilot tone pattern 1000 and the pilot tone pattern 1100. By using or expecting null tone values at the IM pilot locations, the wireless communication device may avoid applying an additional rotation sequence and/or pn-sequence spreading/scrambling, which may simplify both transmitter- and receiver-side operations associated with the IM mode. Further, if the IM pilot tones are given null values (which may be akin to the IM pilot tones being unmodulated), a transmitter of a PPDU for which the IM mode is enabled may be able to increase a transmit power of data subcarriers within an OFDM symbol that includes one or more IM pilot tones, which may support greater reliability by way of facilitating greater signal strength.

In some other implementations, the wireless communication may use or expect +1/−1 values at the IM pilot locations. In such implementations, the wireless communication device may maintain similarly with LTF and/or CFO pilot construction schemes and apply rotations and pn-sequence scrambling to base sequences, which may avoid issues with powerlines in a transmission spectrum and/or issues with a transmission peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) that might arise with straight (such as non-rotated and/or non-scrambled) periodic repetitions in frequency over time.

In some examples, the wireless communication may use or expect +1/−1 values at the IM pilot locations by starting with a sequence (such as an LTF sequence) of +1/−1 values corresponding to a PPDU bandwidth and assigning, generating, selecting, or determining an M-element IM pilot sequence (in examples in which a quantity of the IM pilots for a given OFDM symbol is M) to be the sequence (such as the LTF sequence) sampled at tone indices corresponding to the IM pilot locations (in increasing frequency order). In examples in which the pilot tone pattern 1000 is used, the wireless communication device may be expected to apply a pn-sequence scrambling to the M-element IM pilot sequence per OFDM symbol. In examples in which the pilot tone pattern 1100 is used, the wireless communication device may optionally apply a pn-sequence to the M-element IM pilot sequence per OFDM symbol.

In some other examples, the wireless communication may use or expect +1/−1 values at the IM pilot locations by assigning, generating, selecting, or determining an M-element pilot sequence as an M-element dRU LTF sequence. In such examples, the M-element dRU LTF sequence may be an M-element dRU LTF sequence used at a dRU index for a dRU size, with M being selected to correspond to the dRU size. M also may be a quantity of IM pilots within each OFDM symbol. The IM pilot locations may correspond to the tone indices of a defined or indicated dRU index (for the dRU size). In other words, in examples in which the quantity of IM pilots within a given OFDM symbol is M, M may be selected to correspond to a defined or indicated dRU size, with the IM pilot locations corresponding to the tone indices of a defined or indicated dRU index (for that dRU size), and with the IM pilot sequence being defined to be the same as the M-element dRU LTF sequence used at that dRU index for that dRU size. In examples in which the pilot tone pattern 1100 is used, the dRU index may change over or across OFDM symbols. In further examples in which the pilot tone pattern 1100 is used, the wireless communication device may optionally apply a pn-sequence scrambling to the IM pilot sequence per OFDM symbol. In examples in which the pilot tone pattern 1000 is used, the wireless communication device may be expected to apply a pn-sequence scrambling to the IM pilot sequence per OFDM symbol.

In some other examples, and in examples in which the pilot tone pattern 1200 is used, the wireless communication may use or expect +1/−1 values at the IM pilot locations by using the +1/−1 value on that subcarrier index from a sequence (such as an LTF sequence) matching the PPDU bandwidth. In other words, the wireless communication device may use a sequence (such as an LTF sequence) of +1/−1 values corresponding to the PPDU bandwidth and map each value from the sequence to a respective subcarrier index across the PPDU bandwidth. In some aspects, to avoid disrupting CFO pilot tracking across the PPDU (such as a data portion of the PPDU), for the subcarrier indices of the OFDM midamble symbol corresponding to CFO pilot indices, the wireless communication device may use the CFO pilot value as if that OFDM symbol within the PPDU data field were a regular data symbol (such as an OFDM symbol that is not dedicated to IM pilots).

In some other examples, and as illustrated in the example of the pilot tone sequence generation procedure 1300, the wireless communication may use or expect +1/−1 values at the IM pilot locations by starting with a base sequence 1302 of +1/−1 values. The base sequence 1302 may be denoted as a sequence P. The wireless communication device may obtain, generate, determine, or select the base sequence 1302 in accordance with various ways. In some examples, base sequence 1302 may be an 8-element +1/−1 base sequence used for CFO pilots in RU242. In examples in which a single OFDM symbol includes M pilots, with M being known and a fixed or variable quantity (such as controlled by signaling) for a given PPDU bandwidth, the wireless communication device may, for each OFDM symbol in the data portion of the PPDU, repeat the base sequence 1302 with each repetition chunk being applied with an overall +1/−1 rotation multiplier until a sequence of equal to or greater than M total +1/−1 values is constructed.

For example, the wireless communication device may obtain an expanded sequence 1308 by applying each +1/−1 value of a rotation sequence 1306 to a respective repetition of the base sequence 1302. In other words, the wireless communication device may obtain the expanded sequence 1308 by performing a multiplication 1304 of the base sequence 1302 by a rotation value from the overall rotation sequence 1306.

The rotation sequence 1306 may be denoted as a sequence Y and may include +1/−1 values of Y0, Y1, . . . , YN. The wireless communication device may obtain the expanded sequence 1308 by determining Y0*P, P1*P, . . . , YN*P and concatenating the resulting sequences together. In some examples, N*8 may be greater than M, with M being the quantity of IM pilots per OFDM symbol. The wireless communication device may perform a selection 1310 of the first (such as initial) M values of the expanded sequence 1308 to obtain a preliminary M-element sequence. The preliminary M-element sequence may be the same for a set of (such as all) OFDM symbols of the PPDU bandwidth using M IM pilots.

The wireless communication device may perform a multiplication 1312 of the preliminary M-element sequence (the pilot sequence for a single OFDM symbol) by a scrambling value from a scrambling sequence 1314 (which may be a pn-sequence). The scrambling sequence 1314 may be denoted as a sequence X. In some aspects, the element of the scrambling sequence 1314 from which the scrambling value is selected may be a function of the OFDM symbol index in the data field of the PPDU. For example, the scrambling sequence 1314 may include elements of X0, X1, . . . , XS, . . . , and, by way of further example, X0 may correspond to a first OFDM symbol index of the data field, X1 may correspond to a second OFDM symbol index of the data field, and so on. In accordance with performing the multiplication 1312, the wireless communication device may perform a determination 1316 of an M-element pilot sequence for OFDM symbol “s,” with s={0, 1, . . . , S}, and with S being a last (such as final) symbol index of the data field within the PPDU. In other words, the pn-sequence scrambled M-element sequence may be the IM pilot values (ordered by increasing tone index) in an OFDM data symbol. In some aspects, the pilot tone sequence generation procedure 1300 may be applicable to scenarios in which the IM pilots are interspersed with data tones within a set of (such as each) OFDM symbol within the data field of the PPDU, and in scenarios in which the quantity of IM pilots per OFDM symbol is fixed or static for a given PPDU. The pilot tone sequence generation procedure 1300 may be at least applicable to scenarios in which the pilot tone pattern 1000 or the pilot tone pattern 1100 is used.

FIG. 14 shows example process flows 1400 and 1450 that support IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The process flows 1400 and 1450 may implement or be implemented to realize one or more aspects of the wireless communication network 100, the PDU 200, the PPDU 300, the signaling diagram 400, the PPDU 550, the signaling diagram 600, the trigger frame 700, the common information field 800, the special user information field 900, the pilot tone pattern 1000, the pilot tone pattern 1100, the pilot tone pattern 1200, or the pilot tone sequence generation procedure 1300. For example, the process flow 1400 illustrates communication between a wireless communication device 402 and a wireless communication device 404, which may be examples of corresponding devices as illustrated and described herein. By way of further example, the process flow 1450 illustrates communication between a wireless communication device 602 and a wireless communication device 604, which also may be examples of corresponding devices as illustrated and described herein.

Alternative examples of the following may be implemented. Some steps are performed in a different order than described or are not performed at all. In some implementations, steps may include additional features not mentioned below, or further steps may be added. Further, although example devices are shown performing the operations of the process flows 1400 and 1450, some aspects of some operations also may be performed by one or more other wireless communication devices without exceeding the scope of the present disclosure.

In the example of the process flow 1400, at 1402, the wireless communication device 402 and the wireless communication device 404 may communicate (such as transmit and/or receive) one or more management frames. The management frame(s) may include one or more beacon frames, one or more (re)association frames, and/or one or more (re)authentication frames. In some examples, at least one of the management frame(s) may include a capability element, which may indicate a capability of a device transmitting the management frame. For example, a capability element may indicate a capability of a device to support an IM mode for one or more PPDUs. In some implementations, in accordance with the communication of the management frame(s) at 1402, the wireless communication device 402 and the wireless communication device 404 may signal to each other that each device is capable of supporting the IM mode for PPDUs communicated between the wireless communication device 402 and the wireless communication device 404.

Each device may indicate such a capability explicitly or implicitly, such as by indicating another capability (such as a capability to support UHR signaling protocols).

At 1404, the wireless communication device 402 may transmit a first PPDU to the wireless communication device 404. The first PPDU may be an example of the first PPDU 410 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 4. In some implementations, the first PPDU may include a preamble portion and a data portion, and the preamble portion may include information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by the wireless communication device 404 to the wireless communication device 402. For example, the preamble portion may include first information indicative of a first state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU and/or second information indicative of a second state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU. In some aspects, the preamble portion of the first PPDU may additionally indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode (if the IM mode is enabled), the indicated parameter(s) being associated with the first PPDU and/or requested or commanded to be used for the second PPDU. The wireless communication device 402 may transmit the first PPDU in accordance with the indicated state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU (and in accordance with the parameter(s), if indicated). In some implementations, the wireless communication device 404 may receive at least a data field of the first PPDU in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU (and in accordance with the one or more parameters, if indicated).

At 1406, the wireless communication device 404 may transmit the second PPDU to the wireless communication device 402 the second PPDU may be an example of the second PPDU 420 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 4. In some implementations, the wireless communication device 404 may transmit at least a data field of the second PPDU in accordance with a requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU. The second PPDU may include a preamble portion and a data portion, and the preamble portion may include information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU. In some aspects, the preamble portion of the second PPDU may additionally indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode (if the IM mode is enabled). The wireless communication device 404 may transmit the second PPDU in accordance with the indicated state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU (and in accordance with the parameter(s), if indicated). In some implementations, the wireless communication device 402 may receive at least a data field of the second PPDU in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU (and in accordance with the one or more parameters, if indicated).

In the example of the process flow 1450, at 1452, the wireless communication device 602 and the wireless communication device 604 may communicate (such as transmit and/or receive) one or more management frames. The management frame(s) may include one or more beacon frames, one or more (re)association frames, and/or one or more (re)authentication frames. In some examples, at least one of the management frame(s) may include a capability element, which may indicate a capability of a device transmitting the management frame. For example, a capability element may indicate a capability of a device to support an IM mode for one or more PPDUs. In some implementations, in accordance with the communication of the management frame(s) at 1452, the wireless communication device 602 and the wireless communication device 604 may signal to each other that each device is capable of supporting the IM mode for PPDUs communicated between the wireless communication device 602 and the wireless communication device 604. Each device may indicate such a capability explicitly or implicitly, such as by indicating another capability (such as a capability to support UHR signaling protocols).

At 1454, the wireless communication device 602 may transmit a trigger frame to the wireless communication device 604, the trigger frame soliciting a TB PPDU from the wireless communication device 604. The trigger frame may be an example of the trigger frame 610 as illustrated by and described with reference to FIG. 6. In some examples, the trigger frame may include information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU. In some aspects, the trigger frame may additionally indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode (if the IM mode is enabled).

At 1456, the wireless communication device 604 may transmit the TB PPDU to the wireless communication device 602. The wireless communication device 604 may transmit at least a data field of the TB PPDU in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode indicated by the trigger frame. In examples in which the IM mode is enabled and in which the trigger frame indicates one or more parameters associated with the IM mode, the wireless communication device 604 may transmit the data field of the TB PPDU in accordance with the one or more parameters. The wireless communication device 602 may receive the data field of the TB PPDU in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode indicated by the trigger frame (and in accordance with the one or more parameters, if indicated).

FIG. 15 shows a block diagram of an example wireless communication device 1500 that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. In some examples, the wireless communication device 1500 is configured to perform the processes 1600, 1700, 1800, and 1900 described with reference to FIGS. 16, 17, 18, and 19, respectively. The wireless communication device 1500 may include one or more chips, SoCs, chipsets, packages, components or devices that individually or collectively constitute or include a processing system. The processing system may interface with other components of the wireless communication device 1500, and may generally process information (such as inputs or signals) received from such other components and output information (such as outputs or signals) to such other components. In some aspects, an example chip may include a processing system, a first interface to output or transmit information and a second interface to receive or obtain information. For example, the first interface may refer to an interface between the processing system of the chip and a transmission component, such that the wireless communication device 1500 may transmit the information output from the chip. In such an example, the second interface may refer to an interface between the processing system of the chip and a reception component, such that the wireless communication device 1500 may receive information that is passed to the processing system. In some such examples, the first interface also may obtain information, such as from the transmission component, and the second interface also may output information, such as to the reception component.

The processing system of the wireless communication device 1500 includes processor (or “processing”) circuitry in the form of one or multiple processors, microprocessors, processing units (such as central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), neural processing units (NPUs) (also referred to as neural network processors or deep learning processors (DLPs)), or digital signal processors (DSPs)), processing blocks, application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLDs) (such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), or other discrete gate or transistor logic or circuitry (all of which may be generally referred to herein individually as “processors” or collectively as “the processor” or “the processor circuitry”). One or more of the processors may be individually or collectively configurable or configured to perform various functions or operations described herein. The processing system may further include memory circuitry in the form of one or more memory devices, memory blocks, memory elements or other discrete gate or transistor logic or circuitry, each of which may include tangible storage media such as random-access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM), or combinations thereof (all of which may be generally referred to herein individually as “memories” or collectively as “the memory” or “the memory circuitry”). One or more of the memories may be coupled with one or more of the processors and may individually or collectively store processor-executable code that, when executed by one or more of the processors, may configure one or more of the processors to perform various functions or operations described herein. Additionally, or alternatively, in some examples, one or more of the processors may be preconfigured to perform various functions or operations described herein without requiring configuration by software. The processing system may further include or be coupled with one or more modems (such as a Wi-Fi (such as IEEE compliant) modem or a cellular (such as 3GPP 4G LTE, 5G or 6G compliant) modem). In some implementations, one or more processors of the processing system include or implement one or more of the modems. The processing system may further include or be coupled with multiple radios (collectively “the radio”), multiple RF chains or multiple transceivers, each of which may in turn be coupled with one or more of multiple antennas. In some implementations, one or more processors of the processing system include or implement one or more of the radios, RF chains or transceivers.

In some examples, the wireless communication device 1500 can be configurable or configured for use in an AP or STA, such as the AP 102 or the STA 104 described with reference to FIG. 1. In some other examples, the wireless communication device 1500 can be an AP or STA that includes such a processing system and other components including multiple antennas. The wireless communication device 1500 is capable of transmitting and receiving wireless communication in the form of, for example, wireless packets. For example, the wireless communication device 1500 can be configurable or configured to transmit and receive packets in the form of physical layer PPDUs and MPDUs conforming to one or more of the IEEE 802.11 family of wireless communication protocol standards. In some other examples, the wireless communication device 1500 can be configurable or configured to transmit and receive signals and communication conforming to one or more 3GPP specifications including those for 5G NR or 6G. In some examples, the wireless communication device 1500 also includes or can be coupled with one or more application processors which may be further coupled with one or more other memories. In some examples, the wireless communication device 1500 further includes a user interface (UI) (such as a touchscreen or keypad) and a display, which may be integrated with the UI to form a touchscreen display that is coupled with the processing system. In some examples, the wireless communication device 1500 may further include one or more sensors such as, for example, one or more inertial sensors, accelerometers, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, or altitude sensors, that are coupled with the processing system. In some examples, the wireless communication device 1500 further includes at least one external network interface coupled with the processing system that enables communication with a core network or backhaul network that enables the wireless communication device 1500 to gain access to external networks including the Internet.

The wireless communication device 1500 includes an association management component 1525, a PPDU transmission component 1530, a trigger frame component 1535, and a PPDU reception component 1540. Portions of one or more of the association management component 1525, the PPDU transmission component 1530, the trigger frame component 1535, and the PPDU reception component 1540 may be implemented at least in part in hardware or firmware. For example, one or more of the association management component 1525, the PPDU transmission component 1530, the trigger frame component 1535, and the PPDU reception component 1540 may be implemented at least in part by at least a processor or a modem. In some examples, portions of one or more of the association management component 1525, the PPDU transmission component 1530, the trigger frame component 1535, and the PPDU reception component 1540 may be implemented at least in part by a processor and software in the form of processor-executable code stored in memory.

The wireless communication device 1500 may support wireless communication in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The association management component 1525 is configurable or configured to communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device. The PPDU transmission component 1530 is configurable or configured to transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

In some examples, the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU. In some examples, a data field within the data portion of the first PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

In some examples, the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU, and the PPDU reception component 1540 is configurable or configured to receive the second PPDU from at least the second wireless communication device. In some examples, a data field of the second PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode. In some examples, the second information includes a request or a command for the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU.

In some examples, the preamble portion of the first PPDU includes a universal signal (U-SIG) field and an ultra-high reliability signal (UHR-SIG) common field. In some examples, one or more first bits within a version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or within the UHR-SIG common field indicate the second information.

In some examples, the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU. In some examples, the one or more first bits consist of a single bit. In some examples, a first value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU is an OFF state.

In some examples, the second information is indicative of a requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU. In some examples, the one or more first bits consist of a single bit. In some examples, a first value of the single bit indicates that the requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU is an OFF state.

In some examples, the one or more first bits include two or more bits. In some examples, a first codepoint associated with the two or more bits indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state. In some examples, another codepoint associated with the two or more bits different than the first codepoint indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state.

In some examples, the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or the UHR-SIG common field further includes one or more second bits. In some examples, the one or more second bits indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or the second PPDU.

In some examples, the one or more first bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or within the UHR-SIG common field include at least a first bit indicating a first state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU and include at least a second bit indicating a second state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU.

In some examples, the first PPDU or the second PPDU is associated with a full bandwidth transmission. In some examples, the first PPDU or the second PPDU is associated with an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) transmission. In some examples, each receiver of a set of receivers of the first PPDU or the second PPDU has the capability to support the IM mode. In some examples, the state associated with the IM mode is either an ON state or an OFF state for the set of receivers of the first PPDU or the second PPDU in association with the first PPDU or the second PPDU being associated with the OFDMA transmission.

In some examples, the IM mode is associated with a set of multiple pilot tones. In some examples, the set of multiple pilot tones is distributed over a set of multiple time-frequency locations within a resource grid associated with a data field of the first PPDU or the second PPDU in accordance with a pattern. In some examples, the pattern defines that the set of multiple pilot tones is located within a fixed set of multiple non-contiguous subcarriers over a set of multiple contiguous symbols associated with the data field; varying subcarriers over the set of multiple contiguous symbols associated with the data field; or a fixed set of multiple contiguous subcarriers that spans a full bandwidth over a fixed set of multiple non-contiguous symbols associated with the data field. In some examples, the set of multiple pilot tones is associated with null-tone values. In some examples, the set of multiple pilot tones is associated with a sequence of plus-one or minus-one values.

In some examples, at least one management frame of the one or more management frames includes a capability element. In some examples, the capability element includes the first information indicative of the capability to support the IM mode.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device 1500 may support wireless communication in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, the association management component 1525 is configurable or configured to communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device. The trigger frame component 1535 is configurable or configured to transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a trigger-based PPDU (TB PPDU), the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

In some examples, the PPDU reception component 1540 is configurable or configured to receive the TB PPDU from at least the second wireless communication device. In some examples, a data field of the TB PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

In some examples, the trigger frame includes one or both of a common information field or a special user information field. In some examples, one or more first bits within the common information field or the special user information field indicate the second information.

In some examples, the one or more first bits consist of a single bit. In some examples, a first value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state.

In some examples, the one or more first bits include two or more bits. In some examples, a first codepoint associated with the two or more bits indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state. In some examples, another codepoint associated with the two or more bits different than the first codepoint indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state.

In some examples, the common information field or the special user information field further includes one or more second bits. In some examples, the one or more second bits indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU. In some examples, the TB PPDU is associated with a full bandwidth transmission.

In some examples, the IM mode is associated with a set of multiple pilot tones. In some examples, the set of multiple pilot tones is distributed over a set of multiple time-frequency locations within a resource grid associated with a data field of the TB PPDU in accordance with a pattern. In some examples, the pattern defines that the set of multiple pilot tones is located within a fixed set of multiple non-contiguous subcarriers over a set of multiple contiguous symbols associated with the data field; varying subcarriers over the set of multiple contiguous symbols associated with the data field; or a fixed set of multiple contiguous subcarriers that spans a full bandwidth over a fixed set of multiple non-contiguous symbols associated with the data field. In some examples, the set of multiple pilot tones is associated with null-tone values. In some examples, the set of multiple pilot tones is associated with a sequence of plus-one or minus-one values.

In some examples, at least one management frame of the one or more management frames includes a capability element. In some examples, the capability element includes the first information indicative of the capability to support the IM mode.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device 1500 may support wireless communication in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, the association management component 1525 is configurable or configured to communicate one or more management frames with a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device. The PPDU reception component 1540 is configurable or configured to receive, from the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device.

In some examples, the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU. In some examples, a data field within the data portion of the first PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

In some examples, the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU, and the PPDU transmission component 1530 is configurable or configured to transmit the second PPDU to the second wireless communication device. In some examples, a data field of the second PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device 1500 may support wireless communication in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some examples, the association management component 1525 is configurable or configured to communicate one or more management frames with a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device. In some examples, the trigger frame component 1535 is configurable or configured to receive, from the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a trigger-based PPDU (TB PPDU), the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

In some examples, the PPDU transmission component 1530 is configurable or configured to transmit the TB PPDU to the second wireless communication device. In some examples, a data field of the TB PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

FIG. 16 shows a flowchart illustrating an example process 1600 performable by or at a first wireless communication device that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The operations of the process 1600 may be implemented by a first wireless communication device or its components. For example, the process 1600 may be performed by a wireless communication device, such as the wireless communication device 1500 described with reference to FIG. 15, operating as or within a wireless AP or a wireless STA. In some examples, the process 1600 may be performed by a wireless AP or a wireless STA, such as one of the APs 102 or the STAs 104 described with reference to FIG. 1.

In some examples, in 1605, the first wireless communication device may communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device. The operations of 1605 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1605 may be performed by an association management component 1525 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

In some examples, in 1610, the first wireless communication device may transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device. The operations of 1610 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1610 may be performed by a PPDU transmission component 1530 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 shows a flowchart illustrating an example process 1700 performable by or at a first wireless communication device that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The operations of the process 1700 may be implemented by a first wireless communication device or its components. For example, the process 1700 may be performed by a wireless communication device, such as the wireless communication device 1500 described with reference to FIG. 15, operating as or within a wireless AP or a wireless STA. In some examples, the process 1700 may be performed by a wireless AP or a wireless STA, such as one of the APs 102 or the STAs 104 described with reference to FIG. 1.

In some examples, in 1705, the first wireless communication device may communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device. The operations of 1705 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1705 may be performed by an association management component 1525 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

In some examples, in 1710, the first wireless communication device may transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a TB PPDU, the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU. The operations of 1710 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1710 may be performed by a trigger frame component 1535 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 shows a flowchart illustrating an example process 1800 performable by or at a first wireless communication device that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The operations of the process 1800 may be implemented by a first wireless communication device or its components. For example, the process 1800 may be performed by a wireless communication device, such as the wireless communication device 1500 described with reference to FIG. 15, operating as or within a wireless AP or a wireless STA. In some examples, the process 1800 may be performed by a wireless AP or a wireless STA, such as one of the APs 102 or the STAs 104 described with reference to FIG. 1.

In some examples, in 1805, the first wireless communication device may communicate one or more management frames with a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device. The operations of 1805 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1805 may be performed by an association management component 1525 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

In some examples, in 1810, the first wireless communication device may receive, from the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device. The operations of 1810 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1810 may be performed by a PPDU reception component 1540 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 shows a flowchart illustrating an example process 1900 performable by or at a first wireless communication device that supports IM mode signaling designs for a PPDU. The operations of the process 1900 may be implemented by a first wireless communication device or its components. For example, the process 1900 may be performed by a wireless communication device, such as the wireless communication device 1500 described with reference to FIG. 15, operating as or within a wireless AP or a wireless STA. In some examples, the process 1900 may be performed by a wireless AP or a wireless STA, such as one of the APs 102 or the STAs 104 described with reference to FIG. 1.

In some examples, in 1905, the first wireless communication device may communicate one or more management frames with a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device. The operations of 1905 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1905 may be performed by an association management component 1525 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

In some examples, in 1910, the first wireless communication device may receive, from the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a TB PPDU, the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU. The operations of 1910 may be performed in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. In some implementations, aspects of the operations of 1910 may be performed by a trigger frame component 1535 as described with reference to FIG. 15.

Implementation examples are described in the following numbered clauses:

Clause 1: A method for wireless communication by a first wireless communication device, including: communicating (such as transmitting to and/or receiving from) one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device; and communicating (such as transmitting to and/or receiving from), with at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU including a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

Clause 2: The method of clause 1, where the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU, and a data field within the data portion of the first PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

Clause 3: The method of any of clauses 1-2, where the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU, the method further including: communicating (such as transmitting to and/or receiving from) the second PPDU with at least the second wireless communication device, where a data field of the second PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

Clause 4: The method of clause 3, where the second information includes a request or a command for the state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU.

Clause 5: The method of any of clauses 1-4, where the preamble portion of the first PPDU includes a U-SIG field and a UHR-SIG common field, and one or more first bits within a version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or within the UHR-SIG common field indicate the second information.

Clause 6: The method of clause 5, where the second information is indicative of the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU, the one or more first bits include a single bit, and a first value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU is an OFF state.

Clause 7: The method of any of clauses 5-6, where the second information is indicative of a requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU, the one or more first bits include a single bit, and a first value of the single bit indicates that the requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the requested or commanded state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU is an OFF state.

Clause 8: The method of any of clauses 5-7, where the one or more first bits include two or more bits, and a first codepoint associated with the two or more bits indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state.

Clause 9: The method of clause 8, where another codepoint associated with the two or more bits different than the first codepoint indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state.

Clause 10: The method of any of clauses 5-9, where the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or the UHR-SIG common field further includes one or more second bits, and the one or more second bits indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU or the second PPDU.

Clause 11: The method of any of clauses 5-10, where the one or more first bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or within the UHR-SIG common field include at least a first bit indicating a first state associated with the IM mode for the first PPDU and include at least a second bit indicating a second state associated with the IM mode for the second PPDU.

Clause 12: The method of any of clauses 1-11, where the first PPDU or the second PPDU is associated with a full bandwidth transmission.

Clause 13: The method of any of clauses 1-12, where the first PPDU or the second PPDU is associated with an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) transmission, and each receiver of a set of receivers of the first PPDU or the second PPDU has the capability to support the IM mode.

Clause 14: The method of clause 13, where the state associated with the IM mode is either an ON state or an OFF state for the set of receivers of the first PPDU or the second PPDU in association with the first PPDU or the second PPDU being associated with the OFDMA transmission.

Clause 15: The method of any of clauses 1-14, where the IM mode is associated with a plurality of pilot tones, and the plurality of pilot tones is distributed over a plurality of time-frequency locations within a resource grid associated with a data field of the first PPDU or the second PPDU in accordance with a pattern.

Clause 16: The method of clause 15, where the pattern defines that the plurality of pilot tones is located within a fixed plurality of non-contiguous subcarriers over a plurality of contiguous symbols associated with the data field; varying subcarriers over the plurality of contiguous symbols associated with the data field; or a fixed plurality of contiguous subcarriers that spans a full bandwidth over a fixed plurality of non-contiguous symbols associated with the data field.

Clause 17: The method of any of clauses 15-16, where the plurality of pilot tones is associated with null-tone values, or the plurality of pilot tones is associated with a sequence of plus-one or minus-one values.

Clause 18: The method of any of clauses 1-17, where at least one management frame of the one or more management frames includes a capability element, and the capability element includes the first information indicative of the capability to support the IM mode.

Clause 19: A method for wireless communication by a first wireless communication device, including: communicating (such as transmitting to and/or receiving from) one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames including first information indicative of a capability to support an IM mode associated with one or more PPDUs communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device; and communicating (such as transmitting to and/or receiving from), with at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a TB PPDU, the trigger frame including second information indicative of a state associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

Clause 20: The method of clause 19, further including: communicating (such as transmitting to and/or receiving from) the TB PPDU with at least the second wireless communication device, where a data field of the TB PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the IM mode.

Clause 21: The method of any of clauses 19-20, where the trigger frame includes one or both of a common information field or a special user information field, and one or more first bits within the common information field or the special user information field indicate the second information.

Clause 22: The method of clause 21, where the one or more first bits include a single bit, and a first value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state.

Clause 23: The method of any of clauses 21-22, where the one or more first bits include two or more bits, and a first codepoint associated with the two or more bits indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an ON state.

Clause 24: The method of clause 23, where another codepoint associated with the two or more bits different than the first codepoint indicates that the state associated with the IM mode is an OFF state.

Clause 25: The method of any of clauses 21-24, where the common information field or the special user information field further includes one or more second bits, and the one or more second bits indicate one or more parameters associated with the IM mode for the TB PPDU.

Clause 26: The method of any of clauses 19-25, where the TB PPDU is associated with a full bandwidth transmission.

Clause 27: The method of any of clauses 19-26, where the IM mode is associated with a plurality of pilot tones, and the plurality of pilot tones is distributed over a plurality of time-frequency locations within a resource grid associated with a data field of the TB PPDU in accordance with a pattern.

Clause 28: The method of clause 27, where the pattern defines that the plurality of pilot tones is located within a fixed plurality of non-contiguous subcarriers over a plurality of contiguous symbols associated with the data field; varying subcarriers over the plurality of contiguous symbols associated with the data field; or a fixed plurality of contiguous subcarriers that spans a full bandwidth over a fixed plurality of non-contiguous symbols associated with the data field.

Clause 29: The method of any of clauses 27-28, where the plurality of pilot tones is associated with null-tone values, or the plurality of pilot tones is associated with a sequence of plus-one or minus-one values.

Clause 30: The method of any of clauses 19-29, where at least one management frame of the one or more management frames includes a capability element, and the capability element includes the first information indicative of the capability to support the IM mode.

Clause 31: A first wireless communication device, including a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the first wireless communication device to perform a method of any of clauses 1-18.

Clause 32: A first wireless communication device, including at least one means for performing a method of any of clauses 1-18.

Clause 33: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication, the code including instructions executable by one or more processors (such as a processing system) to perform a method of any of clauses 1-18.

Clause 34: A first wireless communication device, including a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the first wireless communication device to perform a method of any of clauses 19-30.

Clause 35: A first wireless communication device, including at least one means for performing a method of any of clauses 19-30.

Clause 36: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication, the code including instructions executable by one or more processors (such as a processing system) to perform a method of any of clauses 19-30.

As used herein, the term “determine” or “determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions and, therefore, “determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, estimating, investigating, looking up (such as via looking up in a table, a database, or another data structure), inferring, ascertaining, or measuring, among other possibilities. Also, “determining” can include receiving (such as receiving information), accessing (such as accessing data stored in memory) or transmitting (such as transmitting information), among other possibilities. Additionally, “determining” can include resolving, selecting, obtaining, choosing, establishing and other such similar actions.

As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” or “one or more of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover: a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c. As used herein, “or” is intended to be interpreted in the inclusive sense, unless otherwise explicitly indicated. For example, “a or b” may include a only, b only, or a combination of a and b. Furthermore, as used herein, a phrase referring to “a” or “an” element refers to one or more of such elements acting individually or collectively to perform the recited function(s). Additionally, a “set” refers to one or more items, and a “subset”refers to less than a whole set, but non-empty.

As used herein, “based on” is intended to be interpreted in the inclusive sense, unless otherwise explicitly indicated. For example, “based on” may be used interchangeably with “based at least in part on,” “associated with,” “in association with,” or “in accordance with” unless otherwise explicitly indicated. Specifically, unless a phrase refers to “based on only ‘a,’” or the equivalent in context, whatever it is that is “based on ‘a,’” or “based at least in part on ‘a,’” may be based on “a” alone or based on a combination of “a” and one or more other factors, conditions, or information.

The various illustrative components, logic, logical blocks, modules, circuits, operations, and algorithm processes described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, firmware, software, or combinations of hardware, firmware, or software, including the structures disclosed in this specification and the structural equivalents thereof. The interchangeability of hardware, firmware and software has been described generally, in terms of functionality, and illustrated in the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits and processes described above. Whether such functionality is implemented in hardware, firmware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.

Various modifications to the examples described in this disclosure may be readily apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other examples without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the examples shown herein, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with this disclosure, the principles and the novel features disclosed herein.

Additionally, various features that are described in this specification in the context of separate examples also can be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation also can be implemented in multiple examples separately or in any suitable subcombination. As such, although features may be described above as acting in particular combinations, and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination may be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Further, the drawings may schematically depict one or more example processes in the form of a flowchart or flow diagram. However, other operations that are not depicted can be incorporated in the example processes that are schematically illustrated. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the illustrated operations. In some circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the examples described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all examples, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

Claims

1. A first wireless communication device, comprising:

a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the first wireless communication device to: communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames comprising first information indicative of a capability to support an interference mitigation mode associated with one or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device; and transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU comprising a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU comprising second information indicative of a state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

2. The first wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the second information is indicative of the state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU, and wherein a data field within the data portion of the first PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the interference mitigation mode.

3. The first wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the second information is indicative of the state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the second PPDU, and the processing system is further configured to cause the first wireless communication device to:

receive the second PPDU from at least the second wireless communication device, wherein a data field of the second PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the interference mitigation mode.

4. The first wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the preamble portion of the first PPDU comprises a universal signal (U-SIG) field and an ultra-high reliability signal (UHR-SIG) common field, and wherein one or more first bits within a version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or within the UHR-SIG common field indicate the second information.

5. The first wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein:

the second information is indicative of the state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU,

the one or more first bits consist of a single bit, and

a first value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU is an OFF state.

6. The first wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein:

the second information is indicative of a requested or commanded state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the second PPDU,

the one or more first bits consist of a single bit, and

a first value of the single bit indicates that the requested or commanded state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the second PPDU is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the requested or commanded state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the second PPDU is an OFF state.

7. The first wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein:

the one or more first bits comprise two or more bits, and

a first codepoint associated with the two or more bits indicates that the state associated with the interference mitigation mode is an ON state.

8. The first wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or the UHR-SIG common field further comprises one or more second bits, and wherein the one or more second bits indicate one or more parameters associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU or the second PPDU.

9. The first wireless communication device of claim 4, wherein the one or more first bits within the version-dependent portion of the U-SIG field or within the UHR-SIG common field comprise at least a first bit indicating a first state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU and comprise at least a second bit indicating a second state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the second PPDU.

10. The first wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the interference mitigation mode is associated with a plurality of pilot tones, and

the plurality of pilot tones is distributed over a plurality of time-frequency locations within a resource grid associated with a data field of the first PPDU or the second PPDU in accordance with a pattern.

11. The first wireless communication device of claim 10, wherein the pattern defines that the plurality of pilot tones is located within:

a fixed plurality of non-contiguous subcarriers over a plurality of contiguous symbols associated with the data field;

varying subcarriers over the plurality of contiguous symbols associated with the data field; or

a fixed plurality of contiguous subcarriers that spans a full bandwidth over a fixed plurality of non-contiguous symbols associated with the data field.

12. A first wireless communication device, comprising:

a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the first wireless communication device to: communicate one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames comprising first information indicative of a capability to support an interference mitigation mode associated with one or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device; and transmit, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a trigger frame soliciting a trigger-based PPDU (TB PPDU), the trigger frame comprising second information indicative of a state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the TB PPDU.

13. The first wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first wireless communication device to:

receive the TB PPDU from at least the second wireless communication device, wherein a data field of the TB PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the interference mitigation mode.

14. The first wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the trigger frame comprises one or both of a common information field or a special user information field, and wherein one or more first bits within the common information field or the special user information field indicate the second information.

15. The first wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

the one or more first bits consist of a single bit, and

a first value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the interference mitigation mode is an ON state and a second value of the single bit indicates that the state associated with the interference mitigation mode is an OFF state.

16. The first wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein:

the one or more first bits comprise two or more bits, and

a first codepoint associated with the two or more bits indicates that the state associated with the interference mitigation mode is an ON state.

17. The first wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein the common information field or the special user information field further comprises one or more second bits, and wherein the one or more second bits indicate one or more parameters associated with the interference mitigation mode for the TB PPDU.

18. A method for wireless communication by a first wireless communication device, comprising:

communicating one or more management frames with at least a second wireless communication device, the one or more management frames comprising first information indicative of a capability to support an interference mitigation mode associated with one or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) communicated between the first wireless communication device and at least the second wireless communication device; and

transmitting, to at least the second wireless communication device in accordance with the capability, a first PPDU comprising a preamble portion and a data portion, the preamble portion of the first PPDU comprising second information indicative of a state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU or for a second PPDU transmitted by at least the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second information is indicative of the state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the first PPDU, and wherein a data field within the data portion of the first PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the interference mitigation mode.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second information is indicative of the state associated with the interference mitigation mode for the second PPDU, the method further comprising:

receiving the second PPDU from at least the second wireless communication device, wherein a data field of the second PPDU is in accordance with the state associated with the interference mitigation mode.